Investigation on Deposition of the Machined By-Products and Its Reduction during Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM)

Abstract

Electrochemical action and subsequent discharges are utilized in electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) for the fabrication of components by subtracting the undesired material. However, as the process progresses, localized electrolyte vaporization (machining zone) and its leading effects limit the process performance. Controlled delivery of fresh electrolyte into the machining zone to replenish the vaporized electrolyte improves the ECDM process performance, utilized in the electrolyte injection-ECDM (EI-ECDM) process. Apart from the control strategies, the literature lacks a detailed investigation of the phenomena involved in deteriorating the ECDM’s machining performance. Few researchers enlighten that the deposition of the machined by-products on the tooltip might be a significant reason. Therefore, the present work is carried out to investigate the influence of deposition of the machined by-products on outcomes of the ECDM process at different parametric conditions. Various scientific tools and techniques are used to explore the underlying phenomena of machined by-products deposition. It shows that deposition significantly alters the geometry, surface texture, and properties of tool-electrode, which intern affects the ECDM’s performance. Further, experimental results and subsequent characterization reveal that EI-ECDM can significantly control the deposition and enhance the process performance. Thus, a multi-response optimization was performed to increase the applicability of the EI-ECDM process.