Traveling Wire Electrochemical Discharge Machining (TW-ECDM) of Quartz Using Zinc Coated Brass Wire: Investigations on Material Removal Rate and Kerf Width Characteristics

Abstract

In this era, advanced non-conducting materials are gaining importance due to their superior properties. However, it is difficult to micro-machine these materials inefficiency and also economically still persists with currently used advanced non-traditional machining processes. Non-traditional machining processes are typically unfeasible for quartz material owing to its properties such as high strength, high melting point, high temperature-resistance, chemical stability and brittleness. Traveling wire electrochemical discharge machining (TW-ECDM) process is newly developed non-traditional machining process and has great potential for machining of quartz ceramics. Coated wire has been used to reduce the wire breakage and improves the efficiency. The input important input parameters have been selected for this process as applied voltage, electrolyte concentration and wire speed. Taguchi robust design was perform to identify the optimal parametric conditions using L9 orthogonal array. Signal to noise (S/N) ratio and ANOVA were used to find the optimal parametric conditions and relative contribution of the input parameters respectively. Also, the surface finish was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). First time, coated wire with diameter of 0.15 mm has been used during TW-ECDM process. These obtained results present in this article will provide new guidelines to the micro-manufacturers, engineers and researchers.