Experimental Design and Analysis of Relative Effects of Variable Factors on Electro Discharge Sawing Process Using Taguchi Approach

Abstract

The Electro Discharge Sawing (EDS) process is a modified Electro Discharge Machining (EDM) process to obtain high material removal rates in sawing of large bar stocks and billets of high strength materials. In such a complex system as Electro Discharge Sawing (EDS) with multitude of factors affecting its performance. Taguchi approach of orthogonal arrays (OA) is best suited for the design of experiments . In the present investigation the relative influence of five factors was analyzed on typical four response parameters. An orthogonal array L8(25) was selected for the five factors set at two levels and designated as low and high. The results show the Electrode polarity to be the most important factor with electrode positive leading to best results. The process variable parameter with highest effect is pulse current followed by pulse on time, pulse off time and voltage. Effect of work material is random depending on which thermal property is more effective out of thermal conductivity and enthalpy of melting.