Investigation of wire electrical discharge machining of thin cross-sections and compliant mechanisms

Scott F. Miller, Chen C. Kao, Albert J. Shih, Jun Qu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

The wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) of cross-section with minimum thickness and compliant mechanisms is studied. Effects of EDM process parameters, particularly the spark cycle time and spark on-time on thin cross-section cutting of Nd-Fe-B magnetic material, carbon bipolar plate, and titanium are investigated. An envelope of feasible wire EDM process parameters is generated for the commercially pure titanium. The application of such envelope to select suitable EDM process parameters for micro feature generation is demonstrated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of EDM surface, subsurface, and debris are presented. SEM observations lead to a hypothesis based on the thermal and electrostatic stress induced fracture to explain the limiting factor for wire EDM cutting of thin-sections. Applications of the thin cross-section EDM cutting for manufacture of compliant mechanisms are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1717-1725
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture
Volume45
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2005

Funding

Effects of spark cycle and pulse on-time on wire EDM micro features were investigated. Tests were conducted on various materials for minimum thickness wire EDM cutting. Applications of low MRR EDM cutting for machining of thin-section and compliant mechanisms were studied. A hypothesis was proposed based on the combined thermal and electrostatic force to cause the fracture of thin-section during wire EDM. This was supported by findings from SEM micrographs of EDM surface, subsurface, and debris. Further in-depth research is required to understand the root-cause for the material fracture mechanism.

Keywords

  • Compliant mechanism
  • Material removal rate
  • Wire EDM

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