Wire Electric Discharge Machining

OBJECTIVE: Determine the Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Surface roughness (Ra) in Wire Electric
Discharge Machining of mild steel.

Equipments required:
1. Wire Electric Discharge Machine (WEDM)
2. EDM oil (dielectric) as De-ionized water
3. Mild steel workpiece (10 mm x 1mm in 10 mm)
4. Electric Discharge Machining Wire (Molybdenum)
5. Weighing machine
6. Surface roughness (Ra) measuring Instrument
7. Safety goggles and gloves

Theory
A. Introduction to Wire EDM machining:
Electric Discharge Machining (EDM) is a non-traditional machining process where material removal takes place
through a series of controlled electric discharges between a tool (electrode) and the workpiece submerged in a
dielectric fluid. Wire Cut EDM is a subtype of EDM where the electrode is a thin, electrically conductive wire
comprises of Molybdenum having dimension 0.18 mm guided by the pulley.

WEDM is a thermo- electrical process in which material is removed by a series of sparks between work
piece and wire electrode (tool). The part and wire are immersed in a dielectric (electrically non-conducting)
fluid, usually de-ionized water, which also acts as a coolant and flushes the debris away. The material which is
to be cut must be electrically conductive. The equipment of WEDM is run by computer numerically controlled
(CNC) instruments, which can control the wire on a three-dimensional axis to provide greater flexibility. Simple
cuts are done by varying the x-y coordinates of the cutter with more complex cuts achieved by adding axes of
motion to the wire guides. Additionally, it is able to cut metals as thin as 0.004 inch and thicker materials
upwards of 16 inch routinely, with thicker sections possible. On a certain material thinness, it will simply cause
the metal to evaporate, thereby eliminating potential debris.

B. Construction and machining parameters:

Construction
Wire EDM is comprised a machine tool, a power supply and the dielectric supply unit. It also comprises of a
base, column, work table, EDM wire and a CNC controller. Here, work piece is mounted and clamped on the
work table (with or without a flushing pot). EDM wire is guided on the platen using an excess controller and
work tank is filled with dielectric. As the machining proceeds the workpiece is moved through X and Y axis till
the preset distance is reached.

The input parameters Ton, Toff, I, Voltage and WS (Wire speed) are selected to cut a straight kerf of size
10 mm x 1mm in 10 mm thick workpiece with a reusable molybdenum wire of diameter 0.18 mm. Pulse-on
time (Ton) is the duration for which the electrode receives electricity and it also an indicator of pulse power
utilization thus indicating the machining efficiency of WEDM. Smaller value of Toff may lead to breakage of
wire by not allowing the debris to flush away. Similarly, current indicates the power utilized during WEDM.

Machining parameters
Ip: Pulse current

Ton: Pulse on time

Toff: Pulse off time

T (τ): Pulse duty factor

Vg: Gap-set voltage

WS: Wire Speed

Ra: Retract distance

C. Measurements:
Material removal rate (g/s):

–
MRR (g/s) =

Surface roughness (Ra):

Ra (µm) = where Ra1, Ra2 and Ra3 are the values of surface roughness on same surface of
material.

Experimental procedure:
1. Select a metallic block as the workpiece.
2. Clean the workpiece thoroughly to remove any contaminants.
3. Mount the workpiece securely onto the worktable of the Wire Cut EDM machine using appropriate
fixtures.
4. Ensure proper alignment and orientation of the workpiece with respect to the wire electrode.
5. Through AutoCAD, design the profile required to be cut on workpiece and also set the desired
machining parameters such as Ton, Toff, IP, V and wire speed on the control panel.
6. Thread the EDM wire through the wire guides and nozzle and ensure proper alignment and tension of
the wire.
7. Fill the dielectric tank with the appropriate dielectric fluid and start the flow of dielectric fluid through
the machine.
8. Start the Wire Cut EDM machine and initiate the machining operation and monitor the machining
process carefully for any abnormalities or deviations.
9. Stop the machine once the desired depth or profile is achieved.
10. Carefully remove the machined workpiece from the machine and measure the dimensions of the
machined features for various output parameters (MRR and Ra).

Figure: Schematic Diagram of Wire Electric Discharge Machining Process

 Observation Table:
S. No. Current Ip Pulse on Pulse off Voltage Wire Weight of workpiece Machi MRR Surface
(A) time Ton time Toff Vg Speed ning (g/s) Roughness
(µs) (µs) (V) (m/s) time (Ra)
Before After (s) (µm)
machining machining
(g) (g)

Calculation:
Material removal rate (g/s):

–
MRR (g/s) =

Surface roughness (Ra):

Ra (µm) = where Ra1, Ra2 and Ra3 are the values of surface roughness on same surface of
material.

Conclusion:
The experiment was completed successfully and the MRR and Ra are calculated as ……(g/s) and ……..µm
respectively.

Advantages of Wire EDM:

a) Wire EDM process can produce a part in a single step, reducing time and costs, and enhancing
production efficiency.
b) Wire EDM does not use a physical tool to cut the workpiece and can cut materials of any hardness as
long as they are conductive.
c) Wire EDM does not produce high impact or stress, meaning it can cut even very thin materials without
bending or warping them.
d) Wire EDM can easily cut conductive metals of varying hardness, from soft copper to harder materials
like tungsten. Hardness does not affect the process, allowing wire EDM to cut a range of conductive
metals, including material that has undergone processes like heat treating.
e) High surface finish and low wastage of material than conventional machining process.