Study of MRR and TWR in electric discharge machining of AISI D2 tool steel

Abstract

Owing to its mechanical and metallurgical properties, AISI D2 is extensively used as tool steel in die-making industry. Typical shapes and intricate die cavities along with its high hardness make conventional operations of machining unsuitable and uneconomical for machining of AISI D2 steel. Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an appropriate process for machining of such high-strength tool steels. Therefore, this study was carried out to characterize and optimize the process parameters of die-sinking EDM for material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR) in machining of AISI D2 tool steel. Discharge current, gap voltage, pulse-on-time, and tool material were taken as process parameters. Taguchi’s orthogonal array approach coupled with analysis of variance is applied to design the experiments and analyze the relationship between process parameters and process outcomes. Methodology developed in this study assists in adjusting machining parameters for desired outcomes. Moreover, the process parameters can be utilized to economically manufacture the quality die tools.