Title: Spark-assisted electrochemical drilling of ceramics

Authors: Sanjay K. Chak

Addresses: Manufacturing Process and Automation Engineering Department, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Delhi 110078, New Delhi, India

Abstract: This paper presents a comparative study while drilling holes on electrically non-conductive, high strength, high temperature resistant ceramics such as Al₂O₃ and SiC by spark-assisted electrochemical machining process which is popularly known as electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM). Present study aims at the ECDM process improvement while machining holes on these ceramics by two different configurations of electrodes. A spring-fed hollow brass cylindrical electrode has been used under the effect of pulsed DC power supply voltage, duty factor and electrolyte conductivity to assess the volume of material removed and the machined depth in comparison with a spring-fed rotary abrasive cylindrical electrode. It was observed that pulsating nature of power supply has improved the machining performance and has reduced the tendency of cracking at high value of supply voltage while rotary motion of abrasive electrode has helped to remove the recast layer as well as debris from the spark zone.

Keywords: ECDM; electro-chemical discharge machining; electrical chemical discharge machining; HSHTR; high strength materials; high temperature resistant materials; CCRD; central composite rotatable design; MRR; material removal rate; radial overcut; HAZ; heat affected zone; electrochemical drilling; ceramics drilling; power supply voltage; duty factor; electrolyte conductivity; pulsed DC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTECH.2016.078191

International Journal of Precision Technology, 2016 Vol.6 No.2, pp.171 - 189

Received: 05 Feb 2016
Accepted: 07 May 2016
Published online: 07 Aug 2016 *

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