Fabrication of a micro-spherical tool in EDM combined with Ni-diamond co-deposition

This paper demonstrates a novel fabrication process using electro-discharge-machining (EDM) combined with co-deposited Ni-diamond composites to build a unique micro-spherical diamond tool. A micro tool is made by a hybrid process including wire electro-discharge grinding, EDM spherical forming, electrochemical machining and co-deposition. Tungsten carbide material is used as the tool substrate. The influence of EDM spherical forming and co-deposition parameters on the tool geometry is presented. The experimental result shows a unique micro-spherical diamond tool can be successfully built with suitable spherical forming parameters that are a peak current of 3 A, pulse duration of 40 νs and spindle rotational speed of 0 rpm in the air, and in Ni-diamond co-deposition are a current density of 7 A dm^-2, diamond particle size of 3 νm, diamond particle concentration of 10 g l^-1 and rotational speed of 15 rpm. When using this method, the micro tool has a better geometric shape, uniform particle distribution and suitable particle adhesion quantity. The tool is tested to machine a mold provided with a micro-spherical cavity in a high nickel alloy.