Experimental investigation on the effect of SiC particles in machining process of Al–5.3%CU-SiCp–Al2O3p hybrid nanocomposite by EDM

Abstract

In this study, the EDM process was used to investigate the machining properties of Al–5.3% CU–SiCp–Al2O3p aluminum composite, including SR, MRR, and TWR. Input parameters consist of two electrical and non-electrical category which relates to EDM settings and the composite variables including volume fraction and size of silicon carbide particles in nano and micro scale. SEM and TEM were used to investigate particles and the base metal. Surface roughness measurement device and ball milling was used to measure and make MMC. The results show that increasing the volume fraction and the size of the reinforcing particles led to decrease in the material removing rate, and increasing in TWR and SR. During electrical discharge machining of Al-MMC with 5% SiC reinforcement, reducing the particle size from 40 μm to 100 nm resulted in approximately a four-fold increase in the material removing rate and 25% reduction in the tool wear. Besides, SR in 5 vol% aluminum composite samples consisting of 100 nm size particles has improved the surface quality for approximately five times in comparison with that of 20 vol% aluminum composite samples with 40 μm the particle size.