This paper introduces selective modification of surface by Electric Discharge Machining process and its parametric optimization. A hard layer of tungsten and copper mixture is created at selected area of aluminum surface. The process is done using W-Cu Powder Metallurgical green compact tool and masking technique in die-sinking EDM. The modified surface is evaluated by the performance measures such as Tool Wear Rate, Material Transfer Rate, Surface Roughness and Edge Deviation from the pre-defined boundary line of deposited layer by Analysis of Variance using Taguchi Design of Experiment. Minimum surface roughness of 4.5 µm and minimum edge deviation of 37.29 µm is achieved. The hardness of the surface layer is increased more than three times of base metal. Overall effects of parameters are also analyzed considering multiple performance criteria using Overall Evaluation Criteria. The modified surface is characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy analysis, which show the tool material transfer at the selected area of the surface.

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This paper presents the surface modification of aluminium-6061 by electric discharge machining (EDM). Si–Cu powder metallurgical green compact tool is used to deposit its material on to the work surface under reverse polarity of EDM. Compact load, current and pulse on-time are selected control parameters. Material deposition rate (MDR), tool wear rate (TWR) and surface roughness ([Formula: see text] are considered as process outputs. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis show the presence of tool materials in the deposit of work surface. Olympus optical micrograph shows an average thickness of the deposited layer to be 18.73[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. The hardness of the deposited layer is found to be 268[Formula: see text]HV. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows the compact load to be the most effective parameter on surface modification followed by pulse on-time and current, respectively.