Electrical Discharge Machining

(EDM)

Lecturer:
Reyad Mehfuz

Outline
1. Review
2. What is EDM?
3. Process Mechanism
4. Elements of EDM
5. Process Parameters
6. Process Characteristics
7. Branches of EDM
8. Advantages
9. Applications
10. Limitations
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 Review

Two types of machining processes

1. Traditional:
• Material removal by the direct mechanical
contact of tool & workpiece.

2. Non-traditional:
• Material removal by thermal, electrical,
chemical, mechanical energies.

Review contd.

Traditional m/c Non- Traditional m/c

Turning Electrical Discharge m/c

Electro Chemical m/c

Milling Electron Beam m/c

Laser Beam m/c

Drilling Ultrasonic m/c

Water Jet m/c

Grinding

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 What is EDM?
Most Widely used Non-traditional machining process

Workpiece material is
melted and removed
by the heat from high
density electrical
discharges

Also called Electro-discharge or spark erosion machining

Process Mechanism

Spark generates
along the path of
least resistance
Tool
tool

w/p

1. A shaped tool and workpiece are connected to DC

supply and placed in a dielectric fluid.
2. When the applied voltage is high enough, a localized
breakdown of the dielectric occurs and sparks are
generated across the gap between tool and w/p.
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 Process Mechanism contd.

3. These sparks have very high current density and

causes the formation of a plasma channel, vaporising
part of the tool and w/p.
4. The vaporisation produces a high-pressure bubble
that expands rapidly, ejecting a small amount of
material and leaving a small crater on the surface.
5. The momentary local plasma column temperature
ranges from 10,000 to 40,000 OC
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Elements of EDM

EDM Machine

• Power supplies
– Pulsed DC
– 10 to 1000 amps

Example:
ONA DATIC D-2030-S.
4 axis- x, y, z & z rotation
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 Elements of EDM
Work Materials

Any conductive materials

Elements of EDM
Tool Electrode

1. High electrical
conductivity
Tm 2. Ease of fabrication
3. Resistance to wear
4. High melting point

Copper, Graphite, Zinc, Brass, Tungsten are most common

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 Elements of EDM
Dielectric Fluid

1. Chemically neutral
2. Low viscosity
3. Absence of toxic
vapor
4. Absence of inflaming
tendency
5. Coolant
6. Flushes the eroded
particle away

Kerosene & De-ionized Water are most common

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Critical Process Parameters

1. Open Voltage (V)

2. Current (I)
3. Resistance (R)
4. Capacitance (C)
5. Discharge Voltage (Vd)
6. Pulse on-time
7. Pulse off-time
8. Spark gap
Energy/ spark:
9. Flushing system 1
E= CVd2
2
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 Process Characteristics
V3> V2> V1

V3 V2
• Material Removal Rate (Q):
Weight of material removed Q
Q ( gm / min) =
Machining time V1

– Higher I, V, C, Pulse on-time, flushing flow

rate causes higher MRR I

• Tool wear ratio (TWR):

Volume of tool wear
TWR =
Volume of workpiece wear

– Higher I, V, C, Pulse on-time,

causes higher TWR

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Process Characteristics Contd.

• Surface finish:
– High frequency spark and low I, V,C gives best
surface finish.
– Economically achievable avg. surface roughness is
0.4 µm.

• Accuracy:
– Sharp corner cannot be achieved
– Taper effect disturbs the machining accuracy
– Usual tolerance value ± 0.03 to ± 0.05 mm.

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 Branches of EDM
Die sinking EDM

EDM Milling

Wire EDM

Wire EDG EDM Drilling

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Advantages

1. High accuracy
2. Surface quality
3. Any conductive materials
4. No hardness limitations
5. Stress-Free and Burr-Free
Cutting
6. Suitable for mold making
7. Suitable to machine difficult
to cut or complex 3d shapes

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Applications

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Limitations

1. High specific energy

consumption
2. Low MRR
3. Limited to conductive
materials
4. Formation of re-cast layer
and heat affected zone
5. Difficult to produce sharp
corner due to electrode
wear
6. Risk of fume and skin
irritation hazard to operator

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 Summary

• EDM is the most popular non-traditional machining

process
• Material is removed by thermo-electrical process
• Suitable for any conductive materials
• No hardness limitation
• High accuracy and surface finish
• Low material removal rate
• Sharp corner cannot be produced
• Suitable for machining intricate 3D shapes
• Popular for die & mold fabrication

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Any Query?

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