Experimental investigation of effective parameters on productivity improvement of the EDM process for corrosion-resistant metals

Abstract

Inconel 625 superalloy and stainless steel 304 are known for their signi cant corrosion resistance along with their high hardness and strength. Therefore, they are used in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, nuclear, etc. Electrical discharge machining is among the most widely used processes for machining of these metals. However, this process has limitations, such as low material removal e ciency, high surface roughness, and the formation of a recast layer. Therefore, in this study, the effective parameters on increasing the material removal e ciency and reducing recast layer thickness are investigated. These parameters include the dielectric uid, electrode material, discharge current, and pulse duration. After performing the test matrix, the effect of each of the input parameters on the material removal rate, surface roughness and thickness of the recast layer is evaluated using the ANOVA method. The results of this analysis showed that the type of dielectric uid and the presence of silver oxide nanoparticles have a signi cant effect on output variables. When using sun ower oil uid containing nanoparticles and the silver electrode, the recast layer and surface roughness are reduced, while the average material removal rate increases by 40% compared to the traditional mode. Also, due to the biodegradability of deionized water and sun ower oil uids, the environmental sustainability of the process in this study is increased and while increasing productivity, it leads to the sustainable development of the EDM process.