Sustainable EDM of Inconel 600 in Cu-mixed biodegradable dielectrics: Modelling and optimizing the process by artificial neural network for supporting net-zero from industry

Abstract

The properties of Nickel-based superalloy(s) like stability at extreme conditions, greater strength, etc., complicate its cutting through conventional operations. Therefore, electric discharge machining (EDM) is preferred for its accurate cutting. However, the conventional dielectric i.e., kerosene used in EDM is hydrocarbon based which generates toxic fumes and contribute to the CO2 emissions during the discharging process in EDM. This affects the operator's health and the environment. Therefore, the potentiality of five biodegradable dielectrics has been deeply examined herein to address the said issues. Nano copper powder is also employed for uplifting the cutting proficiency of these dielectrics. A set of 15 experiments was performed via full factorial design. An artificial neural network (ANN) is constructed to model and optimize the material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), and specific energy consumption (SEC). The highest MRR (5.527 mm3/min) was achieved in coconut oil whereas for obtaining the lowest SR, the sunflower oil at powder concentration (Cp) of 1.0 g/100 ml is the best choice. Sunflower oil also gave a 17.05% better surface finish compared to other dielectrics. Amongst the biodegradable dielectrics, olive oil consumes lowest specific energy (SEC) i.e., 264.16 J/mm3 which is 28.8% less than the SEC of other oils. Furthermore, the maximum CO2 reduction of 72.8 ± 1.4% is achieved with Olive oil in comparison to that found with kerosene in EDM. The multi-objective optimization is conducted and sunflower oil with Cp of 0.667 g/100 ml is termed out to be optimal solution. The biodegradable dielectrics have demonstrated excellent performance for EDM to support net-zero goals from the industrial sector.