Statistical evaluation and performance analysis of electrical discharge machining (EDM) characteristics of hard Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo alloy

Abstract

Nowadays, electrical discharge machining process is successfully employed to machining hard titanium alloys compared to other non-conventional machining processes. The generation high temperature is utilized to melt and vaporize the hard titanium alloy during electrical discharge machining. The process parameters are highly influenced on the machining performance and need to be studied for optimum results. In the present research, the hard Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo alloy was machined by EDM process and machining characteristics such as material removal rate, tool wear rate and surface roughness were analyzed statistically to get the optimum performance. The experiments were carried out based on the Taguchi orthogonal array method. From the statistical analysis of experimental results, the most significant parameters were identified as peak current, pulse on time and voltage. In addition to that SEM analysis was used to characterize the machined surface. The results of SEM analysis indicated that craters, surface cracks, globules and recast layer present on the machined surface.