Establishing Optimum Process Parameters for Machining Titanium Alloys (Ti6Al4V) In Spark Electric Discharge Machining
K. M. Sivakumar1, R. Gandhinathan2
1Sivakumar K.M, Department of Production Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, South, India.
2Dr. R. Gandhinathan, Department of production Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, South, India.
Manuscript received on March 02, 2013. | Revised Manuscript received on April 09, 2013. | Manuscript published on April 30, 2013. | PP: 201-204 | Volume-2, Issue-4, April 2013. | Retrieval Number: D1362042413/2013©BEIESP

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Abstract: In this study, the spark electric discharge machining(SEDM) of titanium alloys with different electrode materials namely electrolytic copper, beryllium copper, tungsten copper, graphite, aluminium, steel (EN24) and copper impregnated graphite, were conducted to find the suitable electrode material. Therefore the design of experiments were conducted using Taguchi method to find the optimum machining parameters with process parameters such as current, spark on time, spark off time to explore the influence of various SEDM parameters on various requirements such as material removal rate, electrode wear and over cut. The experimental results reveal that the suitable electrode material for machining titanium alloys is copper impregnated graphite. It is found that material removal rate is mainly influenced by discharge on time (Ton) and discharge current (I), whereas discharge off time (Toff) has least effect on material removal rate. Electrode wear is mainly influenced by discharge on time (Ton) and discharge off time (Toff), whereas discharges current (I) has least effect on electrode wear. Over cut is mainly influenced by discharge current (I) and discharge on time (Ton), whereas discharge off time have a very least effect on over cut.
Keywords: EDM, Titanium alloys, Electrode material, Nontraditional machining.