Performance of Micro-Hole Drilling by Ultrasonic-Assisted Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining

2012 ◽  
Vol 445 ◽  
pp. 865-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meifal Rusli ◽  
Katsushi Furutani

Electro-chemical discharge machining (ECDM) is one of nontraditional processes for micro-fabrication of non-conductive materials. A high applied voltage is preferable to form a gas film and to generate discharge in the film. However, accumulation of discharge heat often causes cracks of the surface because non-conductive materials have low heat conductivity. In this study, the effect of ultrasonic vibration and the electrolyte level on the performance of gravity-feed drilling by ECDM was investigated. Ultrasonic vibration was applied to a glass plate. A tungsten rod as a tool electrode was fed by gravity. Ultrasonic vibration changed the discharge behavior and improved electrolyte circulation. Although high amplitude ultrasonic vibration caused very dense and wide current pulses consistently during machining process, it decreased removal rate significantly. In addition, electrolyte levels affect single bubble size and the resistance in the electrolyte. Low electrolyte level will cause higher resistance, and higher temperature of the tool electrode and workpiece. A high bias current flew at a low electrolyte level without ultrasonic vibration. In this case, removal rate decreased and surface integrity was improved.

2012 ◽  
Vol 217-219 ◽  
pp. 2163-2166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiko Ichikawa ◽  
Wataru Natsu

The existence of debris in the inter-electrode area in micro-EDM interrupts the machining process. Applying ultrasonic vibration to the machining fluid helps circulate the machining fluid and remove the debris from the gap area, and thus reduce short-circuits and abnormal discharges. In this study, the effect of applying ultrasonic vibration to machining fluid in micro-EDM was experimentally investigated. It was found that a significant increase in the machining speed was realized by applying ultrasonic vibration. Also, with the vibration of the machining fluid, micro-hole drilling with ultra-small discharge energy became possible.


Author(s):  
Baoyang Jiang ◽  
Shuhuai Lan ◽  
Jun Ni

Electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) is a non-conventional micromachining technology, and is highlighted for non-conductive brittle materials. However, the outcomes of ECDM have many restrictions in application due to limitations on efficiency, accuracy, and machining quality. In this paper, a drilling incorporated ECDM process is presented and analyzed to enhance material removal rate in ECDM drilling process. Incorporating micro-drilling into ECDM significantly increases the rate of material removal, especially in deep hole drilling. As fundamentals of the machining process, material removal mechanisms have been investigated to account for the increment in material removal rate by incorporating micro-drilling. Vibration of tool electrode, induced by a piezo-actuator, was introduced to further enhance material removal rate. Quantitative studies were conducted to determine the appropriate process parameters of drilling incorporated ECDM with tool vibration.


2004 ◽  
Vol 471-472 ◽  
pp. 741-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qin He Zhang ◽  
Ru Du ◽  
Jian Hua Zhang ◽  
J.Y. Yang ◽  
Sheng Feng Ren

A new machining method, ultrasonic vibration aided electrical discharge machining (UEDM) in gas, is proposed in this paper. It is shown that electrical discharge machining with ultrasonic vibration aid can be achieved well in gas medium. In the process of UEDM in gas, the tool electrode is formed to be thin-walled pipe, high pressure gas medium is supplied from inside, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to workpiece. The property of ultrasonic is introduced. The same to other sound waves, ultrasonic have the characteristics of reflecting, refracting, intervening and resonance. The mechanism of elastic pole keeping in resonance with ultrasonic transferring from one end to the other end is explained with characteristics of ultrasonic. During the process of UEDM in gas, ultrasonic vibration of workpiece can improve the machining process. The theories of ultrasonic vibration increasing materials removal rate (MRR) are introduced. One theory is that the adhere strength between the metallic liquid drops and workpiece is not enough for the accelerative vibration, so metallic liquid drops will be ejected off easily. Another theory is that ultrasonic vibration increases the number of the effective discharge.


Author(s):  
Gurpreet Singh ◽  
DR Prajapati ◽  
PS Satsangi

The micro-electrical discharge machining process is hindered by low material removal rate and low surface quality, which bound its capability. The assistance of ultrasonic vibration and magnetic pulling force in micro-electrical discharge machining helps to overcome this limitation and increase the stability of the machining process. In the present research, an attempt has been made on Taguchi based GRA optimization for µEDM assisted with ultrasonic vibration and magnetic pulling force while µEDM of SKD-5 die steel with the tubular copper electrode. The process parameters such as ultrasonic vibration, magnetic pulling force, tool rotation, energy and feed rate have been chosen as process variables. Material removal rate and taper of the feature have been selected as response measures. From the experimental study, it has been found that response output measures have been significantly improved by 18% as compared to non assisted µEDM. The best optimal combination of input parameters for improved performance measures were recorded as machining with ultrasonic vibration (U1), 0.25 kgf of magnetic pulling force (M1), 600 rpm of tool rotation (R2), 3.38 mJ of energy (E3) and 1.5 mm/min of Tool feed rate (F3). The confirmation trail was also carried out for the validation of the results attained by Grey Relational Analysis and confirmed that there is a substantial improvement with both assistance applied simultaneously.


Author(s):  
Murali M. Sundaram ◽  
Sridevi Billa ◽  
Kamlakar P. Rajurkar

Drilling a micro hole with an aspect ratio above 10 is a challenging task for any-micromachining process. In micro electro discharge machining (micro EDM), a proven metallic micromachining process, this is due to the problems associated with debris removal. In such cases, where the capabilities of existing macro machining methods are constantly being challenged, innovative micro manufacturing approaches are required to make progress. Hybrid micromachining is one such approach in which the synergy of constituent processes is exploited to achieve desired results. In this paper, the results of ultrasonic vibration assisted micro electro discharge machining process are presented. This hybrid process is capable of deep hole drilling with aspect ratio of 20 in austenitic stainless steel by overcoming the limitations in the debris removal faced in the typical micro EDM process. Other benefits of ultrasonic vibration are the savings in machining time, and less tool wear. It is also noticed that the ultrasonic vibration causes some shape distortion and produces rougher machined surface.


Author(s):  
Murali Meenakshi Sundaram ◽  
Yakup Yildiz ◽  
K. P. Rajurkar

Cryogenic treatment is a heat treatment process in which the specimen is subjected to an extremely low temperature of the order of −300° F and below, to cause beneficial changes in the material properties. The advantages of cryogenic treatment include relieved residual stresses, and better electrical properties. Electro discharge machining (EDM) is a well known nontraditional machining process in which electrical energy is converted to thermal energy to remove material by melting and evaporation from electrically conductive materials. The process performance of EDM is affected by several factors including the material properties. In this study, the effect of cryogenic treatment on the performance of EDM is investigated experimentally. Copper tool electrodes were subjected to two different treatment methods, namely cold treatment (around −150° F) and deep cryogenic treatment (around −300° F). Using these electrodes, experiments were conducted to study the effect of various process parameters. Significant improvement in material removal rate was observed for EDM with cryogenically treated tools. However, their effect on tool wear is only marginal.


2015 ◽  
Vol 787 ◽  
pp. 386-390
Author(s):  
Sandeep Chinke ◽  
Vijaykumar S. Jatti ◽  
T.P. Singh

Beryllium copper possesses high strength which produces severe problem of surface integrity and tool wear during machining by conventional machining process. Electrical discharge machining is a practically viable option to solve this problem. The present study investigates the effect of cryogenic treatment of work part along with gap current and external magnetic field on material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR). Blind 3 mm square holes were produced using electrolytic copper tool electrode to machine cryo-treated BeCu and untreated BeCu. Gap current is varied from 8 A to 16 A in a step of 2 amperes and magnetic strength is varied from 0 to 0.496 T in a step of 0.124 T. Based on the experimental results it was found that MRR increases with increase in gap current for both untreated BeCu and treated work part. Plotted graphs of cryo-treated work part showed high values of MRR in comparison to untreated work part. TWR increases for both treated and untreated BeCu work part with increase in gap current. But the TWR was less for cryo-treated work part in comparison to untreated work part. MRR and TWR increases for both treated and untreated BeCu work part with increasing magnetic strength. Again the MRR was found higher with lower TWR for treated workpiece with regard to magnetic strength. Thus it can be concluded that cryogenic-treatment with magnetic strength improves EDM machining efficiency.


Author(s):  
Manpreet Singh ◽  
Sarbjit Singh

Electrochemical discharge machining has been proved to be efficient micro-machining process and significantly used for the machining of non-conductive materials. The miniaturized products have gained advantages in Lab-on-a-chip devices and microelectromechanical system because of advancement in technology. The challenge to produce micro features has been suitably addressed by electrochemical discharge machining and emerged as potential contender in generating micro holes and micro channels on electrically non-conductive materials. This article includes state-of-art review on different domains of electrochemical discharge machining, which includes work piece, electrolyte, behaviour of tool electrode, gas film formation, machining quality along with recent hybridizations in electrochemical discharge machining process. The conclusion focuses or summarizes the future research trends for enhancement of electrochemical discharge machining efficiency and tackles problems encountered in machining.


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