Parametric optimization of wire-EDM machining of nimonic 80a using response surface methodology

Abstract

Abstract Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) can machine hard materials with ease. Nimonic 80A is hard and high temperature resistant material which is widely used in the power plant boiler tubes, gas turbines, exhaust valves. This work involves in developing a models for correlating the dependency of various WEDM process parameters of Nimonic 80A like gap voltage, duty factor and feed rate on response factors like rate of material removal (MRR), wire wear ratio and surface roughness (SR). This experiment was carried out on the basis of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). Using the design of experiments, 20 experiments were conducted. The duty factor of 0.8771, gap voltage 17V and wire feed rate of 17m/min was found to be the optimized process parameter while machining Nimonic 80A.