Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining- A review and Case study

Volume 6 Issue 1 April - June 2018

Case Study

Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining- A review and Case study

Ranvijay Rana *, C. S. Jawalkar**

* Post Graduate Student, Department of Production & Industrial Engineering, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, India.

** Assistant Professor, Department of Production & Industrial Engineering, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, India.

Rana, R., and Jawalkar, C.S. (2018). Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining- A review and Case study. i-manager’s Journal on Material Science, 6(1), 63-69. https://doi.org/10.26634/jms.6.1.14383

Abstract

Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) is an emerging non-traditional machining process, which combines the advantages of both electric discharge machining and electrochemical machining. It is used in micromachining nonconductive materials such as glass, ceramics and composites. In recent years, the demand of non-conductive materials has grown rapidly in medical, optical, electrical and aerospace applications. As these applications require machining with high accuracy and high reliability, ECDM has great scope in this area. There are some other methods that can machine nonconductive materials but have certain limitations also. Recently, ECDM is a developing process and researchers are continuously trying to develop and modify it as a better solution to machine non-conducting materials. In the current paper, a study on continuous improvements in ECDM in machining of glass, ceramics, composites and hybridization of ECDM have been carried out with their effect on Material Removal Rate (MRR), Surface Finish and Tool Wear Rate (TWR). It was further evidenced that semiconductors and composites were less researched. A case study on machining of glass has also been presented, wherein it is illustrated that increase in applied voltage and electrolyte concentration increases the MRR.