An experimental study on the effect of parameters on the depth of crater machined by electrostatic field–induced electrolyte jet micro electrical discharge machining

Abstract

Electrostatic field–induced electrolyte jet micro electrical discharge machining depends on heat generated by the periodic pulsed discharge between the workpiece and the electrolyte fine jet from the tip of Taylor cone, induced by the intense electric field, to erode the material from the workpiece. To further investigate the characteristics of this discharge process, with the NaCl solution as the electrostatic field–induced electrolyte jet electrolyte and the silicon wafer as the workpiece, the governing factors of machining polarity, nozzle-to-workpiece distance, voltage applied between positive and negative polarities, and the effect of concentration of the electrolyte on the depth of crater after a single electrostatic field–induced electrolyte jet discharge have been studied. The experimental results show that the average depth of crater increases with the increase in the voltage applied between the nozzle and the workpiece, and increases with the increase in the concentration of the electrolyte, but decreases with the increase in the distance between the nozzle and the workpiece. The results have also demonstrated that the polarity has no clear influence on the average depth of crater after a single discharge.