Abstract
In this paper, a novel assisting electrode is proposed for high-speed wire electrical discharge machining (HS-WEDM) of insulating zirconia. The characteristics of this HS-WEDM process based on the novel assisting electrode are investigated, which include the study of the effects of pulse-on time on machining speed, surface roughness, and the status of electrical discharge during machining. The experimental results indicate that the machining speed increases from 1.54 to 1.68 mm2/min when pulse-on time is changed from 10 to 20 µs and then decreases to 0.7 mm2/min with increasing pulse-on time, whereas surface roughness decreases from 7.5 to 6.1 µm when pulse-on time is increased from 10 to 20 µs and then fluctuates slightly with increasing pulse-on time. X-ray diffraction analysis of the machined surface indicates that chemical reactions occur during the machining process. Finally, workpieces made of insulating zirconia are machined with the HS-WEDM process.
Notes
Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/lmmp.