International Journal of Mechanical

Engineering
and Technology (IJMET),
ISSN 0976 6340(Print),
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL
OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
AND
ISSN 0976 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30 IAEME
TECHNOLOGY (IJMET)

ISSN 0976 6340 (Print)

ISSN 0976 6359 (Online)
Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30
IAEME: www.iaeme.com/IJMET.asp
Journal Impact Factor (2014): 7.5377 (Calculated by GISI)
www.jifactor.com

IJMET
IAEME

STUDY OF PROCESS PARAMETER OF WIRE ELECTRIC

DISCHARGE MACHINING: THE REVIEW
Vasdev Malhotra*,

Nitin Dixit**,

Himani Gautam***

*Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Mechanical Engg., YMCAUST,

Faridabad -121006, (India)
**Nitin Dixit, M.Tech Student, Mechanical Engineering Department, YMCAUST,
Faridabad, (India)
***Himani Gautam, M.Tech Student, Mechanical Engineering Department, YMCAUST,
Faridabad, (India)

ABSTRACT
Wire EDM is a variation of the Electric Discharge Machining and is commonly known as
wire-cut EDM. In WEDM, material is eroded from the work material by a series of discrete sparks
occurring between the work piece and the wire which is generally act as electrode, separated by a
stream of dielectric fluid. Dielectric fluid commonly used is deionized water which is act as coolant
and flushes the debris away. Work piece is generally electric conductive. It can machine anything
that is electrically conductive regardless of the hardness, from relatively common materials such as
tool steel, aluminum, copper, and graphite, to exotic space-age alloys including Inconel, titanium,
carbide, polycrystalline diamond compacts and conductive ceramics. This papers shows the detailed
analysis of process parameters
Keywords: Wire, Process, Parameters, Water.
INTRODUCTION
In WEDM process, the tool i.e. wire is moved in the programmed path and material is
removed from the workpiece accordingly. The electrically conductive materials are cut by WEDM
process by the electro-thermal mechanism. Material removal takes place by a series of discrete
discharges between the wire electrode and workpiece [1]. These discharges cause sparks and result in
high temperatures instantaneously, up to about 10000 C. These temperatures are huge enough to
melt and vaporize the workpiece metal and the eroded debris cools down swiftly in working liquid
and flushed away. WEDM is a non-conventional process and is very widely used in tool steels for
26

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30 IAEME

pattern and die making industries. The process is also used for cutting intricate shapes in components
used for the electric and aerospace industries. The figure 1 shows the process of wire electrioc
discharge machining

Figure 1: shows the process of Wire electric Discharge Machining [Source, [3]
2. PROCESS PARAMETERS OF WEDM [4]
1. Electrical Parameters
a) Pulse duration or pulse on time
b) Pulse interval or pulse off time
c) Servo voltage
d) Peak current
e) Gap voltage
2. Electrode Wire
a) Wire size
b) Wire material
c) Wire tension
d) Wire feed
3. Dielectric Fluid
a) Dielectric flow rate
b) Dielectric conductivity
4. Workpiece Related Parameters
a) Workpiece material
b) Workpiece size

27

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30 IAEME

Electrical Parameters
a) Pulse duration: Pulse duration, also called pulse on time, is expressed in micro seconds.
During the pulse on time, the voltage is applied in the gap between workpiece and the
electrode thereby producing discharge. Higher the pulse on time, higher will be the energy
applied there by generating more amount of heat energy during this period. Material removal
rate depends upon the amount of energy applied during the pulse on time
b) Pulse Interval: Pulse interval, also referred as Pulse off time, is also expressed in micro
seconds. This is the time between discharges. Off Time has no effect on discharge energy.
Off Time is the pause between discharges that allows the debris to solidify and be flushed
away by the dielectric prior to the next discharge. Reducing off Time can dramatically
increase cutting speed, by allowing more productive discharges per unit time. However,
reducing Off Time, can overload the wire, causing wire breakage and instability of the cut by
not allowing enough time to evacuate the debris before the next discharge. [5]
c) Servo Voltage: Servo voltage acts as the reference voltage to control the wire advances and
retracts. If the mean machining voltage is higher than the set servo voltage level, the wire
advances, and if it is lower, the wire retracts. When a smaller value is set, the mean gap
becomes narrower, which leads to an increase in number of electric sparks, resulting in
higher machining rate. However, the state of machining at the gap may become unstable,
causing wire breakage.
d) Peak Current: Peak current is the amount of power used in discharge machining and is
measured in unit of amperage. The current increases until it reaches a preset value during
each pulse on time, which is known as peak current. Peak current is governed by surface area
of cut. Higher peak current is applied during roughing operation and details with large
surface area.
e) Gap Voltage: Gap voltage, also called open circuit voltage specifies the supply voltage to be
placed on the gap. Greater the gap voltage, greater will be the electric discharge. If the gap
voltage increases, the peak current will also increase. In some WEDM machines both of these
factors show machining voltage.
1. Electrode Wire [2]
a) Wire Size: The wire diameter shows the wire size.The wire is usually made of brass or
stratified copper, and is between 0.02 and 0.33 mm diameter. Larger the diameter larger the
width of cut.
b) Wire Material properties:
It should be electrically conductive.
It should have good machinability, thus allowing easy manufacture of complex shapes.
It should have low erosion rate or good work to tool wear ratio.
It should have low electrical resistance.
It should have high melting point.
It should have high electron emission.

28

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30 IAEME

c) Wire Tension: If the wire tension is high enough the wire stays straight otherwise wire drags
behind. Within considerable range, an increase in wire tension significantly increases the
cutting speed and accuracy [7]. The higher tension decreases the wire vibration amplitude
and hence decreases the cut width so that the speed is higher for the same discharge energy.
However, if the applied tension exceeds the tensile strength of the wire, it leads to wire
breakage.
d) Wire Feed rate: As the wire feed rate increases, the consumption of wire aswell as cost of
machining will increase. Low wire speed will cause wire breakage in high cutting speed.
2. Dielectric Fluid
The dielectric fluid and the flushing there of perform following functions [6]
To insulate the gap before a large amount of energy is accumulated and to concentrate the
discharge energy to a small area (insulator).
To recover a desired gap condition after the discharge by cooling the gap and deionizing
(cooling).
To flush away the debris of the work piece removed by spark (flushing medium).
a) Dielectric flow rate: Dielectric flow rate is the rate at which the dielectric fluid is
circulated. Flushing is important for efficient machining. Flushing pressure is produced from
both the top and bottom nozzles.
b) Dielectric Conductivity: Lower electrical conductivity of the dielectric results in a higher
metal removal rate.
3. Workpiece Related Parameters
a) Workpiece Material: The specific physical, metallurgical, and electrical properties of the
work piece material also influence the process of wire electric discharge machining. For
material processed by EDM or WEDM, the initial surface condition affects the results.
A low melting point in the material increases the MRR and improper heat treatment of the
metal results in distortion, breakage of the die and punches while machined by WEDM [2]
b) Workpiece Thickness: In the WEDM process, cutting speed decreases as the thickness of
the work piece increases. But in the WEMD it is considered that the thicker the work piece,
the faster is the cut, all other factors being equal. In any EDM operation, every pulse does
not produce a spark. However, the longer length of wire electrode in a thicker work piece
provides more opportunities for the spark to occur. This makes the process more efficient
for a thicker work piece[3].
CONCLUSION
EDM is a non-conventional process based on removal of unwanted material in the form of
debris from a job piece by means of a chain of recurring electrical discharges (created by electric
pulse generators in micro seconds) between a tool called electrode and the work material in the
presence of a dielectric fluid( like kerosene and distilled water). The wire electric discharge
Machinig is As EDM Wire Erosion cuts in an exceptionally straight, true and parallel manner,
multiple parts can be produced through stacking sheet materials and cutting many components at the
same time.
29

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 11, November (2014), pp. 26-30 IAEME

REFERENCES
[1]
[2]

[3]

[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Crookall, J.R.; Heuvelman, C.J. (1971): Electro-discharge machining-the state of the art,
Annual of the CIRP, 20, pp.113-120.
Lee,S.H.; Li,X.P.(2001):Study of the effect of machining parameters on the machining
characteristics in electrical discharge machining of tungsten carbide, Journal of materials
processing Technology, 115, pp.344-358.
Chow, H.M.; Yan, B.H.; Huang, F.Y. (1999): Micro slit machining using electro-discharge
machining with a modified rotary disk electrode (RDE), Journal of Materials Processing
Technology, 91, pp. 161166.
Soni,J.S. Performance evaluation of rotary EDM by experimental design technique, Defense
Science journal, Vol. 47, No.1, pp. 65-73.
Wong, Y.S.; Lim, L.C.; Lee, L.C. (1995): Effect of Flushing on Electro Discharge
Machined Surface, Journal of Materials Processing Technology. 48, pp. 299-305.
Sommer, C. (2000):Non-traditional machining handbook, First edition, Advance Publishing.
Houston.
Chen, S.L.; Yan, B.H.; Huang, F.Y. (1999): Influence of kerosene and distilled water as
dielectric on electric discharge machining characteristics of Ti 6Al 4V, Journal of Materials
Processing Technology, 876, pp. 107.
Mane S.G. and Hargude N.V., An Overview of Experimental Investigation of Near Dry
Electrical Discharge Machining Process, International Journal of Advanced Research in
Engineering & Technology (IJARET), Volume 3, Issue 2, 2012, pp. 22 - 36, ISSN Print:
0976-6480, ISSN Online: 0976-6499.
Brij Bhushan Tyagi, Mohd.Parvez, Rupesh Chalisgaonkar and Nitin Sharma, Optimization
of Process Parameters of Wire Electrical Discharge Machining of AISI 316L, International
Journal of Mechanical Engineering & Technology (IJMET), Volume 3, Issue 2, 2012,
pp. 317 - 327, ISSN Print: 0976 6340, ISSN Online: 0976 6359.
Y.S.Sable, R.B.Patil and Dr.M.S.Kadam, Investigation of MRR in WEDM for Wc-Co
Sintered Composite, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering & Technology
(IJMET), Volume 4, Issue 3, 2013, pp. 349 - 358, ISSN Print: 0976 6340, ISSN Online:
0976 6359.
S V Subrahmanyam and M. M. M. Sarcar, Parametric Optimization for Cutting Speed A
Statistical Regression Modeling for WEDM, International Journal of Advanced Research
in Engineering & Technology (IJARET), Volume 4, Issue 1, 2013, pp. 142 - 150,
ISSN Print: 0976-6480, ISSN Online: 0976-6499.
S. K. Sahu and Saipad Sahu, A Comparative Study on Material Removal Rate by
Experimental Method and Finite Element Modelling in Electrical Discharge Machining,
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering & Technology (IJMET), Volume 4, Issue
5, 2013, pp. 173 - 181, ISSN Print: 0976 6340, ISSN Online: 0976 6359.
S V Subrahmanyam and M. M. M. Sarcar, WEDM Process Modeling with Data Mining
Techniques, International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering & Technology
(IJARET), Volume 4, Issue 7, 2013, pp. 161 - 169, ISSN Print: 0976-6480, ISSN Online:
0976-6499.

30