(BQ) Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a widespread process which works very effectively in machining of difficult-to-cut materials and alloys in die and aerospace industries with high dimensional accuracies. However, this capability could be deteriorated due to electrode wear leading to decrease of process productivity. In this study, the effect of machining parameters of EDM process including on-time, current, voltage, the engaging time between workpiece and electrode, and pre-EDM roughing on electrode wear were experimentally investigated. | Journal of Materials Processing Technology 187–188 (2007) 711–714 Statistical analysis on electrode wear in EDM of tool steel DIN used in forging dies H. Zarepour a,∗ , A. Fadaei Tehrani b , D. Karimi c , S. Amini a a Department of Manufacturing Engineering, School of Engineering (2), Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Isfahan, Iran b Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Techology, Isfahan, Iran c Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran Abstract Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a widespread process which works very effectively in machining of difficult-to-cut materials and alloys in die and aerospace industries with high dimensional accuracies. However, this capability could be deteriorated due to electrode wear leading to decrease of process productivity. In this study, the effect of machining parameters of EDM process including on-time, current, voltage, the engaging time between workpiece and electrode, and pre-EDM roughing on electrode wear were experimentally investigated. Main effects of factors and interactions were considered in this paper and regression equation was derived. A L50 (21 × 511 ) Taguchi’s standard orthogonal array was employed as experimental design. Copper was used as electrode to machine the hot work tool steel , which is widely used to make forging dies and mandrels. © 2007 Elsevier . All rights reserved. Keywords: EDM; Electrode wear; Orthogonal array; Statistical analyses 1. Introduction Among the non-traditional methods of material removal processes, electrical discharge machining (EDM) has drawn a great a deal of researchers’ attention because of its broad industrial applications. This process is well suited for machining of casting and forging dies, powder metallurgy and injection molds, and aerospace parts. The process is a spark erosion method, eroding the workpiece by high frequency spark discharges [1]. EDM has a high capability of .
