Manufacturing Science

(ME361) (Lecture 17)

Instructor: Shantanu
Bhattacharya

Theoritical MRR values

The quantity of material removal due to a single discharge can be
determined by considering the diameter of the crater and the depth to
which the melting temperature is reached.
We make some assumptions for modeling the temperature in the zone of
the spark:
1. The spark is a uniform circular heat source on the electrode surface and
the diameter = 2a of this circular source remains constant.
2. The electrode surface is a semi infinite region.
3. Except for the portion of the heat source the electrode surface is
insulated.
4. The rate of heat input remains constant through out the discharge
duration.
5. The properties of the electrode materials do not change with
temperature.
6. The vaporization of the electrode material is neglected.

Schematic Description of the

Idealized heat source during
EDM

Solution of the equation

Solution of the equation

Mechanics of EDM
To take care of the latent heat of the molten material, the actual heat
input rate can be found out by subtracting the heat used to melt the
material from the total heat supplied by the spark.
Thus the rate of heat input per unit area per unit time is given by the
following equation:

Mechanics of EDM

Calculation of Crater Volume

Manufacturing Science
(ME361) (Lecture 18)
Instructor: Shantanu
Bhattacharya

Calculation of the Crater

Volume

Actual variation of Melting Temp. depth Z

and crater volume Vc with discharge time td
The figure on the right depicts
the crater volume with td for
different spark energies.
One important feature which
becomes evident from these
results is that the material
removal is very low for small
discharge time and increases with
td.
Then reaching a peak value it
suddenly drops to zero.
It has been also established that the material removed per discharge
strongly depends on the melting temperature of the material.
The effects of cavitation in the mechanical removal process is also
important.

Role of Cavitation in Material

Removal
The MRR during a single
spark plotted against time
is as shown in the figure on
the right.
Clearly, the MRR is highest
at pressures below
pressures below
atmospheric, showing the
importance
For arrivingof
atcavitation.
a rough estimate, empirical relationships have been
developed for the material removal rate during EDM.
Since the size of the crater depends on the spark energy the depth and
diameter of the crater are given by:
hc = (K1 w1/3 ) cm and 2a = (K2 w1/3 ) cm, where W is the spark energy
(joules), K1 and K2 being constants. For Cu electrodes and kerosene as
the dielectric medium, K1=0.4 and K2 = 0.045
Vc becomes =

Role of Melting Temperature of

the work material
A rough estimate of MRR can also be had from the melting point
of the work-piece material.
Q = 4 X 104 m

-1.23

mm3 /amp-min.

Where, Q = material removal rate (mm3/ amp-min)

m = melting temperature (deg. C)
In this relation we have assumed the average sparking
condition.
The MRR also depends strongly on the circulation of the
dielectric fluid.
Without a forced circulation the wear particles continuously melt
and reunite with the electrode.

Role of Melting Temperature

The figure on the right
shows the nature of the MRR
characteristics without and
with forced circulation of the
dielectric.
After the discharge is
completed, the dielectric
medium around the last spark
should be allowed to deionize.
For this the voltage across the gap must be kept below the discharge
voltage until deionization is complete.
Otherwise the current may once again start to flow through the gap at
the location of the previous discharge.
The time required for a complete deionization depends on the energy
released by the preceding discharge.
A larger energy release results in a longer deionization time.

EDM circuits and operating

principles
Several different electrical circuits are available to provide the
pulsating DC across the work tool gap.
Though the operational characteristics are different, in almost
all such circuits a capacitor is used for storing the charge before
the discharge takes place across the gap.
The suitability of a circuit depends on machining conditions and
requirements.
The commonly used principles for supplying the pulsating DC
can be classified into:
1.Resistance capacitance relaxation circuit with a constant DC
source.
2.Rotary impulse generator.
3.Controlled pulse circuit.

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis
of RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis
of RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis
of RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit ( Analysis of
RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Power and Voltage variation

with Time

Manufacturing Science
(ME361) (Lecture 19)
Instructor: Shantanu
Bhattacharya

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis
of RC circuits)

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Numerical Problem
During an electric discharge drilling of a 10mm square hole in a low
carbon steel plate of 5mm thickness, brass tool and kerosene are used.
The resistance and capacitance in the relaxation circuit are 50 and
10F, respectively. The supply voltage is 200 V and the gap is
maintained at such a value that the discharge takes place at 150 Volts.
Estimate the drilling time.

Resistance capacitor
Relaxation circuit (Analysis of
RC circuits)

Numerical Problem

General Characteristics of
MRR

Rotary Impulse Generator

The relaxation circuit for spark generation, though simple, has certain
disadvantages. Of these, an important disadvantage is that the mrr is
not high.
For increasing the MRR another method called impulse generator is
employed for formulation of the spark.
The figure below shows such a circuit.

The capacitor is charged through the diode during the first half cycle.
During the following half cycle, the sum of the voltages generated by
the generator and the charged capacitor is applied to the work tool
gap.
The operating frequency is the frequency of the sine wave generation
which depends on the motor speed.
Though the MRR is higher the system does not give good surface
finish.

Controlled Pulse Circuit

In both the resistance / capacitance relaxation circuit method and
the rotary impulse generator method there is no inbuilt provision for
an automatic prevention of the current flow when a short circuit is
developed.
To achieve such an automatic control, a vacuum tube is used as the
switching device.
The device is shown in the figure below.
During sparking the current which
flows through the gap comes from the
discharging of the capacitor.
When the current flows through the
gap the valve tube (VT) is biased to
cut off and behaves like an infinite
resistance.
The bias control is done through an
electronic control.
As soon as the current in the gap ceases, the conductivity of the tube
increases, allowing the flow of current to charge the capacitor for the
next cycle.