Title: Development, experimental investigation and neural network modelling of surface-electrical discharge diamond grinding of Al-SiC metal matrix composite

Authors: Shyam Sunder; Vinod Yadava

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, B.S.A. College of Engineering and Technology, Mathura – 281004, Uttar Pradesh, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad – 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract: Grinding metal matrix composites (MMCs) has been proven to be extremely difficult to machine due to presence of hard ceramic reinforcement. Electro-discharge machining (EDM) of MMCs containing electrically non-conducting phases causes some problems in terms of hampering the process stability and impeding the material removal process. Use of combination of grinding and EDM has potential to overcome these problems. This article presents the machining characteristic of aluminium-silicon carbide (Al-SiC) composite using hybrid machining process comprising of diamond grinding (DG) and electro-discharge grinding (EDG) in surface grinding mode which is termed as surface-electro-discharge diamond grinding (S-EDDG). Experiments were carried out on newly self developed S-EDDG set up. The effect of current, pulse on-time, wheel speed, duty factor on removal rate (MRR) and average surface roughness (Ra) has been studied to elucidate the issue. Simultaneously a back propagation neural network is also developed to predict above output parameters.

Keywords: electro-discharge machining; diamond grinding; surface grinding; hybrid machining; aluminium; silicon carbide; metal matrix composites; neural networks; modelling; electrical discharge machining; EDM; current; pulse on-time; grinding wheel speed; material removal rate; MRR; surface roughness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAT.2012.051033

International Journal of Abrasive Technology, 2012 Vol.5 No.3, pp.223 - 244

Received: 18 Aug 2012
Accepted: 04 Oct 2012

Published online: 30 Jul 2014 *

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