Electrical discharge machining characteristics of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using distilled water as a dielectric fluid

Sung Long Chen, Fuang Yuan Huang, Yasuo Suzuki, Biing Hwa Yan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper deals with the possibility of distilled water as a dielectric fluid for electrical discharge machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, and the comparison of electrical discharge machining characteristics using both distilled water and kerosene is also investigated. The experimental results indicate that when machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy in distilled water, the material removal rate is larger than that of using kerosene. This indicates obviously that distilled water is the more effective dielectric fluid for electrical discharge machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. It is also found that the material removal rate is remarkably enlarged with increasing discharge current and pulse duration. Since the distilled water has higher thermal conductivity, the rapidly solidificated debris has a certain thickness of fine grains around the debris, while columnar grains around the debris produced using kerosene is observed. It is also found that there is only a thin recasting layer on the surface when machining in distilled water, while a thicker recasting and hardened layer produced in kerosene is observed. Although machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy using distilled water has a significant effect on the electrical discharge machining characteristics, particularly in the material removal rate, but a higher roughness of surface than using kerosene is also obvious.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)226-231
Number of pages6
JournalKeikinzoku/Journal of Japan Institute of Light Metals
Volume47
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1997

Keywords

  • Dielectric fluid
  • Distilled water
  • Electrical discharge machining
  • Material removal rate
  • Ti-6Al-4V alloy

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