Comparative analysis and evaluation of thermal models of electro discharge machining Article uri icon

abstract

  • The electrical discharge machining (EDM) process involves a combination of several disciplines such as electrodynamics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and hydrodynamics, making it difficult to represent the process by a simple and comprehensive numerical model. Several modeling approaches have been attempted to characterize the EDM process based on electro-thermal concepts. However, each model has varied characteristics and approximation results because its derivation often demands a number of assumptions and simplifications, which can limit the scope and precision of the numerical predictions obtained. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of several numerical models used to simulate the EDM process. The aim of the investigation is twofold: firstly, to compare the prediction performance of different numerical models, and secondly, to assess the influence of different modeling assumptions on the simulated EDM performance. The study is carried out by analyzing and comparing a variety of numerical models and by varying specific modeling assumptions. Well-known experimental data from the literature is used as reference for the predicted values of the numerical models. The results have shown a common tendency in all the numerical models when predicting the EDM process performance. However, the different numerical model assumptions have a significant effect on the predicted material removal rate (MRR) and the crater radius performance parameters. Since this effect remains practically constant over a large process parameter range, similar differences can also be obtained by any of the model versions in combination with a correction factor applied to Fc. This implies that analytical models remain valid in comparison with more refined, but otherwise simplified numerical models. © 2016, Springer-Verlag London.

publication date

  • 2017-01-01