An Experimental Investigation of Travelling Wire Electrochemical Spark Machining (Tw-Ecsm) of Epoxy Glass Using One-Parameter-at-a-Time (Opat)

Abstract

-Electrochemical spark machining (ECSM) is hybrid machining process which is the controlled removal of metal by anodic dissolution as well as erosion in an electrolytic cell in which the workpiece is the anode and the tool is cathode. The experimental investigation with the developed TW-ECSM set-up has been needed to understand the behaviour of the process parameters on performance characteristics. One-Parameter-At-a-Time (OPAT) approach is extensively used to study the behaviour of newly developed process. This approach requires to find the suitable range of control parameters for desired outputs. In this technique, only one parameter is varied at a time in wide range while other parameters are kept at constant .In similar way, the effect of all individual control parameter on output is investigated. Epoxy glass, which is frequently used as a material for fabrication of micro structures, was used as a workpiece. In order to achieve the effective and controlled material machining, the following input process parameters are optimally controlled such as Applied Voltage, Wire velocity, Electrolyte concentration and Duty factor. The machining criteria during the TW-ECSM operation can be considered as Material removal rate (MRR).The experimental setup of TW-ECSM of the process parameters are to be properly controlled to achieve the good machining performance.