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Experimental research on preparation and machining performance of porous electrode in electrical discharge machining

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Abstract

The present describes a porous electrode for electrical discharge machining (EDM) that can decrease the concentration of corrosion products in the discharge gap. The electrode is prepared by high-temperature sintering of copper particles. A large number of red copper particles become connected together through sintering necks to form a structure with a large number of pores that act as flushing channels. By exploring the preparation method, material, sintering temperature, and holding time, a porous electrode is prepared such that copper particles do not fall off during the discharge process. The flow of the flushing medium is simulated in the porous electrode, and the action of the flushing flow field in the discharge gap on erosion products is identified. In agreement with the simulation results, experimental results for the EDM of the titanium alloy Ti6Al4V show that the material removal rate with a porous electrode is 3 times higher than that for traditional EDM with a solid electrode. Moreover, the electrode wear is lower due to the effective discharge of the corrosion products by the flushing liquid. Experimental results when rough machining a complex semi-closed cavity show that the porous electrode can greatly shorten the machining time by 47 %, which demonstrates that a porous electrode improves the machining of a complex cavity in a titanium alloy.

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Abbreviations

EDM :

Electrical discharge mahining

P-EDM :

EDM porous electrode

T-EDM :

Traditional EDM with solid electrode

Re :

Reynolds number

v :

The estimated inlet flow rate

u :

The viscosity of the liquid phase material

d :

The inlet diameter

MRR :

Material removal rate

TWR :

Relative tool wear rate

EDS :

X-ray energy spectrum analysis

SEM :

Scanning electron microscope

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51675233). The authors extend their sincere thanks to those who contributed in the preparation of the instructions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, 1800 Lihu Avernue, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Yi Jiang, Jianfeng Yu & Chunjian Hua

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou, 213001, China

    Linglei Kong

  3. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai, 200240, China

    Wansheng Zhao

Authors
  1. Yi Jiang
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  2. Linglei Kong
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  3. Jianfeng Yu
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  4. Chunjian Hua
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  5. Wansheng Zhao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi Jiang.

Additional information

Yi Jiang is an Associate Professor of Jiangnan University. He received his Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiaotong University, China. He mainly engaged in special processing technology, micro-manufacturing technology based on special processing, Linux-based open CNC system and robot control system.

Linglei Kong is a Lecturer at the Jiangsu University of Technology. He received his Ph.D. from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, China. His research focuses on electrical discharge machining (EDM), electrochemical discharge machining and other special electrical processing technologies.

Jianfeng Yu is a Professor of Jiangnan University. His research direction is in industrial interconnection and intelligent sensing micro-nano powder technology and micro- fluidic food detection technology.

Chunjian Hua is an Associate Professor of Jiangnan University. He received his Ph.D. from Xi’an Jiaotong University, China. His research direction is on mechatronics technology, machine vision application technology and fracture mechanism of metal bars under vibration load.

Wansheng Zhao is a Professor of Shanghai Jiaotong University. His main research directions are special processing technology, special processing CNC system for intelligent manufacturing, new architecture special processing intelligent CNC system, application of artificial intelligence and intelligent control in special processing, and micro special processing technology.

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Jiang, Y., Kong, L., Yu, J. et al. Experimental research on preparation and machining performance of porous electrode in electrical discharge machining. J Mech Sci Technol 36, 6201–6215 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-022-1134-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-022-1134-2

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