(BQ) This paper reviews the research trends in EDM on ultrasonic vibration, dry EDM machining, EDM with powder additives, EDM in water and modeling technique in predicting EDM performances | ARTICLE IN PRESS International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture 47 (2007) 1214–1228 A review on current research trends in electrical discharge machining (EDM) Norliana Mohd AbbasÃ, Darius G. Solomon, Md. Fuad Bahari Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Received 15 November 2005; received in revised form 20 May 2006; accepted 17 August 2006 Available online 17 November 2006 Abstract Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is one of the earliest non-traditional machining processes. EDM process is based on thermoelectric energy between the work piece and an electrode. A pulse discharge occurs in a small gap between the work piece and the electrode and removes the unwanted material from the parent metal through melting and vaporising. The electrode and the work piece must have electrical conductivity in order to generate the spark. There are various types of products which can be produced using EDM such as dies and moulds. Parts of aerospace, automotive industry and surgical components can be finished by EDM. This paper reviews the research trends in EDM on ultrasonic vibration, dry EDM machining, EDM with powder additives, EDM in water and modeling technique in predicting EDM performances. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: EDM; Ultrasonic vibration; Dry EDM; Powder additives; Dielectric; Modeling 1. Introduction Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a non-traditional concept of machining which has been widely used to produce dies and molds. It is also used for finishing parts for aerospace and automotive industry and surgical components [1]. This technique has been developed in the late 1940s [2] where the process is based on removing material from a part by means of a series of repeated electrical discharges between tool called the electrode and the work piece in the presence of a dielectric fluid [3]. The electrode is moved toward the .
