Title: Study the effect of black layer on electrode wear ratio in powder mixed electric discharge machining of titanium alloys

Authors: Sanjeev Kumar; Rupinder Singh; Ajay Batish; T.P. Singh

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala-147004, Punjab, India ' Department of Production Engineering, Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Gill Road, Gill Park, Ludhiana-141006, Punjab, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala-147004, Punjab, India ' Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Symbiosis International University, Near Lupin Research Park, Gram, Lavale, Tal, Mulshi, Pune 411042, India

Abstract: The objective to present this paper is to study the effect of black layer on electrode wear ratio (EWR) with an interaction of different input parameters during the powder mixed electric discharge machining, which influences the EWR by using the Taguchi approach. During machining, a hard and brittle black layer is formed on the electrode surface, which changes its thermal conductivity. Carbon is migrated from the dielectric during this process due to its decomposition and stick to the electrode surface either in free form or compound form. Moreover, in addition to carbon and other elements such as titanium, aluminium, tin, vanadium, manganese and tungsten were also observed. The L₁₈ mixed level orthogonal array (2¹ × 3⁷) was used for the experimentation. The additive model of Taguchi method was used with the optimal levels of the input parameters to predict the EWR. Electrode samples were analysed for the possibility of migration of different elements using EDX analyser.

Keywords: electrical discharge machining; EDM; cryogenic treatment; Taguchi methods; additive models; electrode wear ratio; EWR; black layer; carbon; electro-discharge machining; titanium alloys; thermal conductivity; orthogonal arrays; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMM.2016.075454

International Journal of Machining and Machinability of Materials, 2016 Vol.18 No.1/2, pp.18 - 35

Received: 24 Feb 2015
Accepted: 12 Jun 2015
Published online: 23 Mar 2016 *

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