Optimization of Material Removal Rate in Electrical Discharge Machining using Fuzzy Logic Amit Kohli a, Aashim Wadhwa b , Tapan

Virmani c , Ujjwal Jain d Department of Mechanical Engineering, D.A.V Institute of Engineering & Technology, Jalandhar (Punjab) 144008, India ABSTRACT The objective of present work is to stimulate the machining of material by electrical discharge machining (EDM) to give effect of input parameters like discharge current (Ip), pulse on time (Ton), pulse off time (Toff) which can bring changes in the output parameter, i.e. , material removal rate using fuzzy-logic approach. Experimental data was gathered from die sinking EDM process using copper electrode and Medium Carbon Steel (AISI 1040) as work-piece. The rules of membership function (MF), the degree of closeness to the optimum value of the MMR are within the upper and lower range of the process parameters. It was found that proposed fuzzy model is in close agreement with the experimental results. By Intelligent, model based design and control of EDM process parameters in this study will help to enables dramatically decreased product and process development cycle times. Keywords: Medium Carbon Steel (AISI 1040 steel), Electrical discharge Machining (EDM), Fuzzy Logic, Material removal rate (MRR) 1. INTRODUCTION Material removal rate is one of the most important machining characteristics for the metals which are worked under treatment condition. By decreasing the material removal rate value through electrical discharge machining, surface finish and wear resistance are increased and hence the friction coefficients of the material are decreased. Electrical discharge machining is basically electro-thermal nontraditional material removal process which is widely used to produce dies, punches and moulds, finishing parts for aerospace and automotive industry, and surgical components [1]. The work-piece and the electrode are separated by a specific small gap called spark gap. Pulsed arc discharges occur in this gap filled with an insulating medium, preferably a dielectric liquid like hydrocarbon oil or de-ionized (de-mineralized) water [2-5]. EDM typically works with materials that are electrically conductive, although methods for machining insulating ceramics [6-7]. Fuzzy logic is used for solving problems with expert systems and real-time systems that must react to an imperfect environment of highly variable, volatile or unpredictable conditions. It "smooths the edges" so to speak, circumventing abrupt changes in operation that could result from relying on traditional either-or and all-or-nothing logic [8]. Fuzzy logic starts with and builds on a set of user-supplied human language rules. The fuzzy systems convert these rules to their mathematical equivalents. This simplifies the job of the system designer and the computer, and results in much more accurate representations of the way systems behave in the real world. Fuzzy logic is a form of many-valued logic; it deals with reasoning that is fixed or approximate rather than fixed and exact. In contrast with "crisp logic",
1

where binary sets have two-valued logic: true or false, fuzzy logic variables may have a truth value that ranges in degree between 0 and 1. The Mamdani implication method is employed for fuzzy inference reasoning in this paper. 2. PRINCIPLE OF EDM The first serious attempt of providing a physical explanation of the material removal during electric discharge machining is of Van Dijck [9]. He presented a thermal model together with a computational simulation to explain the phenomena between the electrodes during electric discharge machining. Schumacher described the technique of material erosion employed in EDM [10]. A necessary condition for producing a discharge is ionization of the dielectric. Suitable voltage is applied and intensity of electric field between them builds up. The electrons break loose from the surface of cathode and impelled towards the anode under field forces. While moving, the electrons collide with the neutral molecules and causing ionization. When this happens, there is a flow of electrons to the anode, resulting in a discharge. The discharge leads to the generation of extremely high temperature causing fusion of the metal and the dielectric fluid at the point of discharge (figure 1). The metal in the form of liquid drops is dispersed into space surrounding the electrodes by the explosive pressure of gaseous product in the discharge.

Fig. 1: Experimental set up of electric discharge machining ?????????????

2.1 EDM Process Parameters The various process parameters selected in the study are as follows: Spark On-time: Material removal is directly proportional to the amount of energy applied during this on-time. Spark Off-time: This parameter is to affect the speed and the stability of the cut. Thus, if the off time is too short, it will cause sparks to be unstable. Arc gap: The Arc gap or spark gap is between the electrode and work-piece during the process of EDM. Spark gap can be maintained by servo system Discharge current: Discharge current is directly proportional to the Material removal rate. Duty cycle: This parameter is calculated by dividing the on-time by the total cycle time (on time, pulse off time). Voltage: It also effect to the material removal rate and potential allowed to per cycle. Diameter of electrode: It is made up of cu tube having different sizes of diameter 4mm and 6 mm used in experiment. Over cut: It is a clearance per side between the electrode and the work-piece after the marching operation.

2.2 Characteristics of EDM The model used in the experiment is OSCARMAX EDM (S645). The worktable of dimension 1000(L) x 600(W) has dielectric of 1200 liters working at maximum current and power input of 120 ampere and 12 kVA respectively to give maximum value of MRR as 900 cubic meter per minute. The copper is used as a tool material with dielectric fluid. Commercial grade EDM oil(specific gravity =0.763, freezing point =94C, viscosity =3m) was used as dielectric fluid. Spark gap considered in the study was between 0.010-0.500 mm to produce spark frequency of 200-500 kHz . 3. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP Electric discharge machine, model space OSCARMAX EDM S645 with servo feed control mechanism and positive polarity for electrode was to conduct the experiments. Medium Carbon Steel (AISI 1040) with the composition of carbon (0.431%), magnesium (0.660%), phosphorous(0.0292%), sulphur (0.0277%), chromium(0.347%), molybdenum(0.0093%), nickel (0.646), cobalt (0.0069), copper (0.107%), vanadium(0.0178%), and silicon (0.228%) was taken as the workpiece material. With the development of the transistorized, pure copper became the metallic electrode material of choice because the combination of copper and certain power supply settings enables low wear burning. As copper is compatible with the polishing circuits and its structural integrity can produce very fine surface finish and this also makes copper electrodes highly resistant to direct current (DC) arcing in poor flushing situations. Figure 2 describes the flow chart of the experimental process.

Fig 2: Flow Chart of Experiment

4. FUZZY LOGIC MODEL FOR ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING PROCESS (MATERIAL REMOVAL RATE AS RESPONSE) The modeling of EDM has been done using fuzzy inference system (FIS). In this study, three angular membership functions are selected for fuzzy model (figure 3).

Figure 3: Fuzzy Logic Model of Electrical Discharge Machining (Response: MRR)

4.1 Membership Function for the Input and Output Parameters (MRR as Response) This step is to define linguistic values assigned to the variables by fuzzy subsets and their associated membership functions which may be zero or one called the grades of membership. Zero membership value indicates that it is not a member of the fuzzy-set; one represents a complete member. A membership function can have any shape but preferably symmetric which includes trapezoidal, triangular and bell shaped. Six membership functions were generated for each input variable (Discharge current, pulse on time, pulse off time) as shown in Figure 4 (a, b and c).

Fig.4 (a)

Fig.4 (b)

Fig.4(c) Fig. 4: Membership Function Plots for Material Removal Rate (a) Discharge current (b) pulse on time (c) pulse off time between the Work-Piece and tool Membership functions for MRR as output variable of the material is given in Figure 5.

Fig. 5: Membership Functions for MRR 4.2 FIS Rules Employed in Model (MRR as Response) For obtaining optimized solution, the rules at the rule base have been defined correctly and thirty rules have been written based upon the experimental results. While preparing the rules, fuzzy method was used. Some selected rules are reported in Figure 6, using MATLAB 7.9.0 environment using Mamdani-type of fuzzy inference system in fuzzy logic toolbox.

Fig. 6: Formulation of Rules (Response: MRR)

6

The set of rules along with membership function is shown in rule viewer of fuzzy model (Figure 7). Figure 7 reveals that after the formulation of rules, the optimum value of material removal rate at any setting between the low and high limits of the process parameter can be predicted.

Fig. 7: Rule Viewer of Fuzzy Model (Response: MRR) ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Similarly for different sets of data points in the identified universe of discourse of undertaken parameters various other values of hardness in electrical discharge machining process can also be predicted from the fuzzy model.

Fig 8: Control surfaces of Fuzzy model

Control surfaces as shown in Figure 8 give the interdependency of input and output parameters guided by the various rules in the given universe of discourse. Control surface as shown in Figure 8 shows dependency of material removal rate on different input parameter.

SR no.

Discharg e current (Ip)

Pulse on time (Ton)

Pulse off time (Toff)

Workpiece height (HB)

Before

Work -piece height (HA)

After

Time

Experim ental value (MRR)

B-

Fuzzy values (MRR)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

27.5 27.5 45 10 10 27.5 10 10 27.5 27.5 45 27.5 27.5 27.5

465 465 30 900 465 30 30 900 465 465 30 465 465 465

315 315 30 600 315 315 600 30 30 315 600 315 315 315

58.10 58.10 64.23 59.59 58.05 67.32 57.23 61.55 62.32 64.28 61.2 58.46 70.48 69.23

57.30 57.30 63.80 58.43 56.27 66.85 56.65 59.42 61.83 63.54 60.81 57.73 69.50 68.25
8

1.46 1.46 1.32 10.19 5.25 1.55 1.89 15.11 1.54 1.38 1.25 1.35 1.8 1.78

HA) 247.76 247.76 147.37 51.49 153.38 137.82 138.83 63.77 143.94 242.59 141.15 244.63 246.301 249.17

250 250 140 62 166 140 140 59 140 250 140 250 250 250

15 10 30 30 57.48 16 45 900 600 60.2 17 27.5 900 315 58.20 18 27.5 465 600 63.29 19 45 900 30 70.76 20 45 465 315 68.59 ??????????????????????????????????? CONCLUSION

56.69 59.75 57.74 62.85 70.28 67.88

2.56 1.15 1.47 1.41 1.45 1.28

139.54 177.022 141.56 140.28 149.76 250.94

140 183 140 140 140 245

In this paper optimization of metal removal rate (MRR) has been done using the fuzzy logic approach. Different sets of data points in the identified universe of discourse of undertaken parameters various other values of material removal rate in electrical discharge machining process can also be predicted from the fuzzy model. . Being an important performance measure, the MRR has been getting overwhelming research potential since the invention of EDM process, and requires more study/experimentation/modeling in future.

References [1] Ho, K.H., Newman, S.T., 2003 State of the art electrical discharge machining (EDM), Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf., 43, 12871300 [2] Rudorff, D.W., 1961 Spark machining and its development, Metal Treatment and Drop Forging, 28 (186), 120124. [3] Pandey, P.C.; Shan, H.S. Modern Machining Process. Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd 1999, 84-113. [4] Smith, G.V., 1961, Spark machining fundamental and techniques. J Br Inst Radio Eng, 22, 409. [5] Luis, C.J., Puertas, I., Villa, G., 2005 Material removal rate and electrode wear study on the EDM of silicon carbide, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 164165, 889 [6] Naotake Mohria, Yasushi Fukuzawab, Takayuki Tanic, Nagao Saitoa and Katsushi Furutani. Assisting Electrode Method for Machining Insulating Ceramics. CIRP Annals Manufacturing Technology. Volume 45, Issue 1, 1996, Pages 201204. [7] Y.H. Liu, X.P. Lia, R.J. Jia, L.L. Yua, H.F. Zhanga and Q.Y. Li. Effect of technological parameter on the process performance for electric discharge milling of insulating Al2O3 ceramic. Journal of Materials Processing Technology. Volume 208, Issues 1-3, 21 November 2008, Pages 245250. [8] Pandey, P.C.; Shan, H.S. Modern Machining Process. Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd 1999, 84-113. [9] Frans Van Dijck. Physico-mathematical analysis of the electro dicharge machining process. PhD Thesis Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven. 1973. [10] Schumacher, B.M., 2004 After 60 years of EDM, the discharge process remains still disputed. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 149, 376381