Slicing of Rotating SiC Ingot by Electric Discharge Machining

Abstract

A new method of electric discharge machining (EDM) is proposed for slicing a large silicon carbide (SiC) ingot in order to realize low kerf loss and fast cut. This principle is based on the rotating ingot, and it is called the rotating slicing method (RSM). It would be defecate the cutting chip effectively and one-point discharge. In this paper, we reported results of examinations of the RSM experimentally. Unstable discharge was not observed. Discharge damages on the wire surface were fewer than those of the conventional method. Net cutting speed was almost the same as the present method for the 2-inches ingot. The rotation axis of the ingot should be perpendicular to the feed direction of the wire, and it is important to fix the performance of the EDM such as the kerf loss. Roughness of the cutting surface was 3.4 µm of Ra