ABSTRACT
The performance of cryogenically assisted electric discharge machining (CEDM) process has been evaluated in the presented research paper. The machining of cryogenically treated (CT) and cryogenically untreated (CUT) AISI D2 tool steel work specimens using cryogenically cooled (CC), CT, and CUT copper electrodes have been performed. The effects of various parameters, namely, workpiece condition, tool condition, nozzle flushing, peak current, duty cycle, pulse duration, and gap voltage, have been studied on the performance indicators, viz. the material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), and surface roughness (SR). The best parametric combinations have been suggested to obtain the desired quality characteristics. The interaction effects among various parameters have also been presented. An increase of approximately 18% in MRR and a reduction of 26% and 11% in TWR and SR, respectively, were observed, during the machining through CEDM in contrast to EDM. The confirmatory experiments suggested that experimental values were in permissible agreement with the predicted values for all the performance measures. Finally, the comparison of the CEDM with that of EDM process, in the light of SEM graphs, has been presented.
Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to Mr. Aman Singhal (Proprietor, Singhal gases, Ghaziabad) for supplying the Dura cylinder for experimentation. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Rajeev Jalan (Director, Jalan Gases & Allied Ind. (P) Ltd., Rajpura) for providing valuable technical suggestions on the safe use of cryogenic fluids. The constant support provided by the I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, India is also highly acknowledged by the authors.