Performance Evaluation of Graphite and Titanium Oxide Nano Powder Mixed Dielectric for Electric Discharge Machining of Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract

With the application of non-conventional machining, it has become easier to create unusual shapes on the workpiece. EDM is a non-conventional process of manufacturing which has been studied by many for its great advantages. In this work, the objective was to find out ways of enhancing performance of EDM by using two different nano powders, namely, Graphite & Titanium Oxide. Findings indicate how each powder influences the MRR of Ti-6Al-4V (the workpiece), the TWR of copper electrode (tool) & SR or surface roughness of machined area after machining. The setup was designed with SolidWorks and the experiments were designed with the help of Design Expert. In the study 3 input parameters: Peak Current, Powder Concentration and Powder type were used. After doing the experiments, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used for analysis of the results. Through analysis it was concluded that, Titanium Oxide powder with a Desirability of 0.753 is better for fast machining with lower level of surface finish, whereas Graphite powder with a Desirability of 0.465 is better for slow machining with higher level of surface finish.