Performance Enhancement of Electro-chemical Discharge Machining by Process Variants: A Review

Abstract

Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) process has shown its potential over the other thermal and chemical energy based non-conventional methods due to its better capability in micro-feature generation on nonconductive, hard and brittle materials such as glass and ceramics. In this article, a comprehensive review had been carried out on different process variants which were used to enhance the process capability of ECDM. The process variants were classified into two groups based on level of hybridization or modification in the conventional ECDM. These variants were termed as primary and secondary variants. The article consists review of various process variants such as Electro-Chemical Discharge Trepanning (ECDTr), Electro-Chemical Discharge Dressing (ECDDr), Electro-Chemical Discharge Turning (ECDT), Die Sinking Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (DS-ECDM), Wire Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (W-ECDM), Electro-Chemical Discharge Milling (ECDMi), Powder Mixed Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (PM-ECDM), Rotary Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (R-ECDM), Electro Chemical Discharge Grinding (ECDG), Magnetic Field assisted Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (MF-ECDM) Ultrasonic assisted Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (US-ECDM), etc. These variants were used to enhance performance of ECDM in various aspects such as material removal rate, machining depth, surface quality, aspect ratio etc. In the end a possible multi-hybridization process variant has been proposed by combining of magnetic field and ultrasonic vibration assistances in ECDM.