Optimization of control parameters for SR in EDM injection flushing type on stainless steel 304 workpiece

Abstract

The operating control parameters of injection flushing type of electrical discharge machining process on stainless steel 304 workpiece with copper tools are being optimized according to its individual machining characteristic i.e. surface roughness (SR). Higher SR during EDM machining process results for poor surface integrity of the workpiece. Hence, the quality characteristic for SR is set to lower-the-better to achieve the optimum surface integrity. Taguchi method has been used for the construction, layout and analysis of the experiment for each of the machining characteristic for the SR. The use of Taguchi method in the experiment saves a lot of time and cost of machining the experiment samples. Therefore, an L18 Orthogonal array which was the fundamental component in the statistical design of experiments has been used to plan the experiments and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is used to determine the optimum machining parameters for this machining characteristic. The control parameters selected for this optimization experiments are polarity, pulse on duration, discharge current, discharge voltage, machining depth, machining diameter and dielectric liquid pressure. The result had shown that the lower the machining diameter, the lower will be the SR. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.