Finite Element Modeling of Discharge Zone in Micro-EDM Process Available to Purchase

Micro-EDM (μ-EDM) is a derived form of EDM process especially evolved to perform micro-machining. The μ-EDM process is based on the thermoelectric energy created between a work piece and an electrode submerged in a dielectric fluid. When the work piece and the electrode are separated by a specific small gap, a pulsed discharge occurs which removes material from the work piece through melting and evaporation. A thermo-electrical approach to model the temperature variation in the discharge gap using finite element method has been done so as to predict the temperature distribution in the discharge channel and find out the maximum temperatures acting on the work piece as well as the tool electrode and the subsequent material removal rate on the work piece. The temperature generated on the surface of the work piece depends upon the various properties of the conductor; as a result it varies depending on the conductor. An axi-symmetric two-dimensional model was used for modeling the region between the two electrodes. Tungsten and titanium alloy were the materials used for cathode and anode, respectively. A 60μm by 60μm region was taken for modeling the process. An uniform mesh of equal dimensions was made to carry out the modeling. The finite element results were compared with the results obtained by conducting experiments on titanium alloy using single spark generator device under the same discharge conditions that were given as input for the mathematical model. The MRR obtained agrees very well with the predicted MRR thus validating the model.