(BQ) In the present study, the temperature distribution on the surface of workpiece and tool during a single discharge in the electrical discharge machining process has been simulated using ABAQUS code finite element software. The temperature dependency of material properties and the expanding of plasma channel radius with time have been employed in the simulation stage. The profile of temperature distribution has been utilized to calculate the dimensions of discharge crater. | International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture 65 (2013) 79–87 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture journal homepage: Mathematical and numerical modeling of the effect of input-parameters on the flushing efficiency of plasma channel in EDM process Mohammadreza Shabgard a,n, Reza Ahmadi a, Mirsadegh Seyedzavvar a, Samad Nadimi Bavil Oliaei b a b Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tabriz University, 29 Bahman Boulevard, Tabriz 51666-14766, Iran Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bilkent University, Bilkent, Ankara 06800, Turkey a r t i c l e i n f o abstract Article history: Received 14 February 2012 Received in revised form 15 October 2012 Accepted 16 October 2012 Available online 1 November 2012 In the present study, the temperature distribution on the surface of workpiece and tool during a single discharge in the electrical discharge machining process has been simulated using ABAQUS code finite element software. The temperature dependency of material properties and the expanding of plasma channel radius with time have been employed in the simulation stage. The profile of temperature distribution has been utilized to calculate the dimensions of discharge crater. Based on the results of FEM and the experimental observations, a numerical analysis has been developed assessing the contribution of input-parameters on the efficiency of plasma channel in removing the molten material from molten puddles on the surfaces of workpiece and tool at the end of each discharge. The results show that the increase in the pulse current and pulse on-time have converse effects on the plasma flushing efficiency, as it increases by the prior one and decreases by the latter one. Later, the introduced formulas for plasma flushing efficiency based on regression model were utilized to predict the cardinal parameter of recast layer thickness on the electrodes
