“…The properties of the changed layers have a strong influence on abrasion resistance, hardness, corrosion resistance, resistance to thermal shocks, coating quality and more. Improving the quality of the surface Metals 2017, 7, 550 2 of 16 integrity after the EDM process can be realized by electro discharge mechanical alloying [15,16], laser surface modification [17][18][19][20][21], the use of powders in dielectric [22,23], hybrid-machining [24], or coatings [25,26]. Research conducted in the field of EDM technology focuses primarily on a better understanding of the physical phenomenon of the process [27,28], monitoring the machining [29,30], improving surface quality and the material removal rate [31,32], optimization of process technology [33][34][35][36], analyses of surface layers properties [37,38] and new methods of forming difficult to manufacture materials [39].…”