Tool electrode wear in electrical discharge of small diameter holes

Abstract

In the paper, the problem of obtaining small diameter holes in workpieces made of high speed steel by electrical discharge machining was formulated. A fulfil factorial experiment was designed and materialized, taking into consideration the tool electrode diameter, pulse on time and pulse off time as independent variables. The tool electrode wear was evaluated by means of the decrease of tool electrode mass and length. On the base of experimental results, power type empirical mathematical models were determined. One noticed the higher influence exerted by the too electrode diameter, whose increase determine the decrease of the tool electrode.