Study of electrical discharge grinding using metal matrix composite electrodes

Abstract

An investigation was made into the combined technologies of electrical discharge machining and grinding (EDMG). A metal matrix (Cu/SiCp) electrode with a rotating device was made and employed to study the EDMG technology. It was found that 3-7 times the normal electrical discharge machining (EDM) material removal rate (MRR) could be achieved in EDMG under suitable conditions of electrode rotating speed, SiCp particle size and current. This novel achievement is attributed to the fact that, under appropriate conditions, the hump-shaped melted material created by the EDM mechanism is vulnerable to attack by the grinding mechanism during the EDMG operation, greatly increasing the removal rate. Conversely, under inappropriate conditions, in which hump-shaped material solidifies prior to the non-conductive ceramic particle grinding, the above function becomes negligible and results in much lower MRR. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.