MODELLING OF MATERIAL REMOVAL RATE IN TRAVELLING WIRE ELECTRO-CHEMICAL SPARK MACHINING (TW-ECSM)

Abstract

Electro-Chemical Spark Machining (ECSM) is a hybrid machining process combining ECM and EDM. ECSM has potential to machine the wide range of conducting and non-conducting materials, ceramics and composites. Now a days, a modified version of ECSM is used to overcome some limitations. Travelling wire is used as cathode tool in this modified version. At present, Research focus is on Travelling wire ECSM due to enhanced productivity, dimensional quality features, ability of producing intricate shapes and profiles. Present paper attempts to formulate the material removal rate during TW-ECSM process on quartz and to establish its relationship with affecting parameters like applied voltage, electrolyte concentration, wire feed rate, specific conductance and inter-electrode gap etc. Concept of dimensionless numbers and dimensional analysis has been quite useful in heat convection and boundary layer problems. Same concept can be applied for modeling and formulation of MRR during TW-ECSM. Dimensional models are high-performance and understandable models due to its intuitive framework. Buckingham theorem is used as dimensional analysis tool to model and formulate the MRR w.r.t. a number of process variables during TW-ECSM process on quartz. Quartz is important material with wide application areas like electronic devices, abrasives, ceramics, foundry materials and cements.