Performance evaluation of cryogenically treated wires during wire electric discharge machining of AISI D3 die tool steel under different cutting environments

Abstract

Purpose Tool steel (AISI D3) is a preferred material for industrial usage. Some of the typical applications of D3 tool steel are blanking and forming dies, forming rolls, press tools and punches bushes. It is used under conditions where high resistance to wear or to abrasion is required and also for resistance to heavy pressure rather than to sudden shock is desirable. It is a high carbon and high chromium steel. Therefore, wire electric discharge machining (WEDM) is used to machine this tool steel. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The present experimental investigation evaluates the influence of cryogenically treated wires on material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) for machining of AISI D3 steel using the WEDM process. Two important process responses MRR and SR have been studied as a function of four different control parameters, namely pulse width, time between two pulses, wire mechanical tension and wire feed rate. Findings It was found that pulse width was the most significant parameter which affects the MRR and SR. Better surface finish was obtained with cryogenically treated zinc coated wire than brass wire. Originality/value The review of the literature indicates that there is limited published work on the effect of machining parameters in WEDM in cryogenic treated wires. Therefore, in this research work, it was decided to evaluate the effect of cryogenically treated wires on WEDM.

Optimization of process parameters during WEDM of EN-42 spring steel

“…The electric discharge or spark erosion for cutting takes place under the blanket of dielectrics such as mineral oil or kerosene fed to the container in which EDM takes place. The removed particles are getting flushed away with dielectric fluid flow [1][2][3][4][5].…”

“…They concluded that the input parameters such as workpiece electrical conductivity, gap current, and pulse on time have a significant effect on material removal rate. Sharma et al [4] cryogenically treated tool steel (AISI D3) workpiece with a different parameter like wire feed rate, time between two pulses, pulse width and mechanical wire tension on MRR and root mean square surface roughness and they found good MRR and surface finish for cryogenically treated wire with zinc coating. Kapoor et al [25] cryogenically treated a brass wire with zinc coating and they also found there is an increase in MRR with cryogenic treatment.…”