Abstract
The micro-electric discharge machining (micro-EDM) process had been studied by a number of researchers incorporating the single-spark numerical simulation technique. However, due to the stochastic nature of spark generation, complexities arise in determining the precise location of sparks and exact crater overlapping. Owing to this randomness, modelling of the micro-EDM process using the multi-spark approach has not been attempted hitherto. In this research work, an endeavour has been made to propose an improved concept of occurrence of sparks based on a minimum inter-electrode gap presented by the randomly assigned surface roughness to the tool and workpiece electrodes. The inadequacies associated with the single-spark modelling of the micro-EDM process can be overcome to a larger extent by deterministic estimation of the distinct spark location. The essential crater dimensions are inferred from single-spark simulation to estimate the exact number of sparks essential for the removal of a single layer in the multi-spark simulation. Numerically simulated single-crater dimensions are validated with the experimentally determined crater. Further, multi-spark simulation is performed, and successive layers are removed from the workpiece to generate a feature with a certain depth. The effect of the thermophysical properties of workpiece materials (copper, SS-EN 24, and Ti-6Al-4V) on the linear material removal rate (MRRl) is analysed. Simulation results illustrate that among the three materials, Ti-6Al-4V and SS-EN 24 result in the highest and lowest MRRl, respectively. The multi-spark approach presented in this work essentially differs from the occurrence of multiple sparks from a single-pulse input.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ho KH, Newman ST (2003) State of the art electrical discharge machining (EDM). Int J Mach Tools Manuf 43(13):1287–1300. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-6955(03)00162-7
Qudeiri JEA, Mourad AHI, Ziout A, Abidi MH, Elkaseer A (2018) Electric discharge machining of titanium and its alloys: review. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 96:1319–1339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-018-1574-0
Shrivastava PK, Dubey AK (2014) Electrical discharge machining–based hybrid machining processes: a review. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part B J Eng Manuf 228(6):799–825. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405413508939
Singh M, Singh S (2019) Electrochemical discharge machining: a review on preceding and perspective research. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part B J Eng Manuf 233(5):1425–1449. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405418798865
Gil R, Sa´nchez JA, Plaza S, Ortega N, Izquierdo B and Pombo I (2014) Modeling recast layer and surface finish in the manufacturing of high–aspect ratio micro-tools using the inverse slab electrical discharge milling process. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part B J Eng Manuf 228(4): 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405413502024
Van Dijck FS, Dutré WL (1974) Heat conduction model for the calculation of the volume of molten metal in electric discharges. J Phys D Appl Phys 7(6):899–910. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/7/6/316
DiBitonto DD, Eubank PT, Patel MR, Barrufet MA (1989) Theoretical models of the electrical discharge machining process. I. A simple cathode erosion model. J Appl Phys 66(9):4095–4103. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.343994
Patel MR, Barrufet MA, Eubank PT, DiBitonto DD (1989) Theoretical models of the electrical discharge machining process. II. The anode erosion model. J Appl Phys 66(9):4104–4111. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.343995
Eubank PT, Patel MR, Barrufet MA, Bozkurt B (1993) Theoretical models of the electrical discharge machining process. III. The variable mass, cylindrical plasma model. J Appl Phys 73(11):7900–7909. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.353942
Dhanik S, Joshi SS (2005) Modeling of a single resistance capacitance pulse discharge in micro-electro discharge machining. J Manuf Sci Eng 127(4):759–767. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2034512
Singh A, Ghosh A (1999) A thermo-electric model of material removal during electric discharge machining. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 39:669–682. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-6955(98)00047-9
Allen P, Chen X (2007) Process simulation of micro electro-discharge machining on molybdenum. J Mater Process Technol 186(1–3):346–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.01.009
Weingärtner E, Kuster F, Wegener K (2012) Modeling and simulation of micro electrical discharge machining. Procedia CIRP 2:74–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2012.05.043
Joshi SN, Pande SS (2010) Thermo-physical modeling of die-sinking EDM process. J Manuf Process 12(1):45–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2010.02.001
Shao B, Rajurkar KP (2015) Modelling of the crater formation in micro-EDM. Procedia CIRP 33:376–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2015.06.085
Somashekhar KP, Panda S, Mathew J, Ramachandran N (2015) Numerical simulation of micro-EDM model with multi-spark. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 76(1–4):83–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-013-5319-9
Tao J, Ni J, Shih AJ (2012) Modeling of the anode crater formation in electrical discharge machining. J Manuf Sci Eng 134:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4005303
Mujumdar SS, Curreli D, Kapoor SG, Ruzic D (2015) Modeling of melt-pool formation and material removal in micro-electro discharge machining. J Manuf Sci Eng 137(3):031007: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029446
Tang J, Yang X (2017) A novel thermo-hydraulic coupling model to investigate the crater formation in electrical discharge machining. J Phys D Appl Phys 50(365301):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/aa7bb7
Kunieda M, Lauwers B, Rajurkar KP, Schumacher BM (2005) Advancing EDM through fundamental insight into the process. CIRP Ann - Manuf Technol 54(2):64–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-8506(07)60020-1
Izquierdo B, Sánchez JA, Plaza S, Pombo I, Ortega N (2009) A numerical model of the EDM process considering the effect of multiple discharges. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 49(3–4):220–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2008.11.003
Kunieda M, Muto H (2000) Development of multi-spark EDM. Ann CIRP 49(1):119–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-8506(07)62909-6
Yang X, Yang K, Yutao L, Wang L (2016) Study on characteristic of multi-spark EDM method by using capacity coupling. Procedia CIRP 42:40–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.02.182
Jadhav HP, Mohanty PK, Das S (2018) Numerical simulation of multi-spark electric discharge machining analysis for Ti6Al4V alloy drilling. Mater Today Proc 5:28337–28346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2018.10.118
Liu JF, Guo YB (2016) Thermal modeling of EDM with progression of massive random electrical discharges. Procedia Manuf 5:495–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2016.08.041
Morimoto K, Kunieda M (2009) Sinking EDM simulation by determining discharge locations based on discharge delay time. CIRP Ann - Manuf Technol 58:221–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2009.03.069
Jithin S, Bhandarkar UV, Joshi SS (2020) Multi-spark model for predicting surface roughness of electrical discharge textured surfaces. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 106:3741–3758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-04841-5
Marashi H, Jafarlou DM, Sarhan AAD, Hamdi M (2016) State of the art in powder mixed dielectric for EDM applications. Precis Eng 46:11–33 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2016.05.010
Rajeswari R, Shunmugam MS (2019) Comparative evaluation of powder-mixed and ultrasonic-assisted rough die-sinking electrical discharge machining based on pulse characteristics. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part B J Eng Manuf 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405419840569
Masuzawa T, Tonshoff HK (1997) Three-dimensional micromachining by machine tools. Ann CIRP 46(2):621–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-8506(07)60882-8
Pérez R, Carron J, Rappaz M, Wälder G, Revaz B, Flükiger R (2007) Measurement and metallurgical modeling of the thermal impact of EDM discharges on steel. Proc 15th Int Symp Electromachining. ISEM 2007:17–22
Yadav V, Jain VK, Dixit PM (2002) Thermal stresses due to electrical discharge machining. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 42:877–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-6955(02)00029-9
Shabgard MR, Gholipoor A, Mohammadpourfard M (2019) Investigating the effects of external magnetic field on machining characteristics of electrical discharge machining process, numerically and experimentally. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 102:55–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-018-3167-3
Yeo SH, Kurnia W, Tan PC (2007) Electro-thermal modelling of anode and cathode in micro-EDM. J Phys D Appl Phys 40(8):2513–2521. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/40/8/015
Tang L, Ji Y, Ren L, Zhai KG, Huang TQ, Fan QM, Zhang JJ, Liu J (2019) Thermo-electrical coupling simulation of powder mixed EDM SiC/Al functionally graded materials. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 105:2615–2628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-04445-z
Xia H, Kunieda M, Nishiwaki N (1996) Removal amount difference between anode cathode in EDM process. Int J Electr Mac 1:45–52
Shankar P, Jain VK, Sundararajan T (1997) Analysis of spark profiles during EDM process. Mach Sci Technol 1(2):195–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/10940349708945647
Yadava V, Jain VK, Dixit PM (2004) Theoretical analysis of thermal stresses in electro- discharge diamond grinding. Mach Sci Technol 8(1):119–140. https://doi.org/10.1081/MST-120034250
Xuyang C, Kai Z, Chunmei W, Zhipeng H, Yiru Z (2015) A study on plasma channel expansion in micro-EDM. Mater Manuf Process 31(4):381–390. https://doi.org/10.1080/10426914.2015.1059445
Kiyak M, Aldemir BE, Altan E (2015) Effects of discharge energy density on wear rate and surface roughness in EDM. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 79:513–518. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-6840-9
Kitamura T, Kunieda M (2014) Clarification of EDM gap phenomena using transparent electrodes. CIRP Ann - Manuf Technol 63:213–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2014.03.059
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Appendix
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, M., Saxena, P., Ramkumar, J. et al. Multi-spark numerical simulation of the micro-EDM process: an extension of a single-spark numerical study. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 108, 2701–2715 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05566-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05566-6