4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATE………………………………………………………...i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………. ii

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………...06

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………….........07

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE EDM METHOD…...09

2.1. EDM PRINCIPLES………………………………………….....09

2.2. EDM PROCESS PARAMETERS………………………….…..10

2.3. PERFORMANCE MEASURE PARAMETER…………….......12

2.4. TYPES OF EDM PROCESSES…………………………….......13

2.4.1. DIE SINKING EDM……………………………………......13

2.4.2. WIRE EDM………………………………………………....14

2.4.3. MICRO EDM…………………………………………….....15

2.4.4. POWDER-MIXED EDM……………………………….…..16

2.4.5. DRY EDM………………………………………………......16

2.5. MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF THE THERMOS- PHYSICAL

PHENOMENON IN EDM……………………………………...17

CHAPTER 3: DIFFERENT STAINLESS-STEEL GRADES……….…..18

 5

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH ON EDM OF STAINLESS STEEL…………...19

4.1. PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE EDM OF STAINLESS
STEEL………………………………………………………………..21
4.2. ELECTRODE TOOL SHAPE AND MOVEMENT RESEARCH IN
THE EDM OF STAINLESS STEEL………………………………...23
4.3. COMBINED AND HYBRID PROCESSES FOR STAINLESS
STEEL………………………………………………………………..25
4.4. EFFECT OF THE EDM PROCESS ON THE PROPERTIES OF
STAINLESS STEEL AND THE MACHINED SURFACE….............27

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION………………………………………………...28
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION…………………………………………….....29
CHAPTER 7: FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTONS………………………..30
CHAPTER 8: REFERENCES………………………………….…………….31
 6

ABSTRACT
Electric discharge machining (EDM) is a material removal process that is
especially useful for difficult-to-cut materials with complex shapes and is
widely used in aerospace, automotive, surgical tools among other fields. EDM
is one of the most efficient manufacturing processes and is used to achieve
highly accurate production. It is a non-contact thermal energy process used to
machine electrically conductive components irrespective of the material’s
mechanical properties. Studies related to the EDM have shown that the process
performance can be considerably improved by properly selecting the process
material and operating parameters. This paper reviews research studies on the
application of EDM to different grades of stainless-steel materials and
describes experimental and theoretical studies of EDM that have attempted to
improve the process performance, by considering material removal rate,
surface quality and tool wear rate, amongst others. In addition, this paper
examines evaluation models and techniques used to determine the EDM
process conditions. This review also presents a discussion on developments in
EDM and outlines the likely trend for future research.
 7

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the rapidly rising demand for materials with special
characteristics in such advanced industrial applications as aerospace and
surgical instruments, has led to the development of new materials. However,
these materials are mostly difficult-to-cut using more conventional
manufacturing processes and this pushes manufacturers to explore new
machining processes which maintain or even improve precision but at
reasonable cost.
Stainless steel is one of the widely used difficult-to-cut materials because of
its superior properties which combine good corrosion and chemical reaction
resistance, with the ability to be easily cleaned, polished, and sterilized. New
stainless-steel compositions are developed to meet the need for higher corrosion
resistance, increased strength, and elevated temperature resistance.

Electric discharge machining (EDM) is one of the most advanced and

successful manufacturing methods used to machine materials that are difficult-
to-cut. EDM is being used in modern industries to facilitate complex machining
processes and achieve highly accurate machining. EDM is utilized to remove
material from a conductive workpiece by repetitively applying sparks between
the EDM electrode tool or wire and the workpiece. In this process, no
mechanical cutting forces are applied because no contact exists between the
electrode tool and the workpiece. The fundamental principles of the EDM
process are applied in many processes, including: die-sinking EDM, wire EDM,
micro-EDM, powder-mixed EDM and dry EDM. These variants make the
process suitable for machining components from the relatively large to the
micro-scale.
The EDM process has advantages over other machining processes. EDM can
machine complex shapes and extremely hard materials. The EDM can be used to
machine very small, delicate, and fragile products without damage because no
cutting forces are applied and hence there are no mechanical induced residual
stresses. However, EDM has its own limitations. At present EDM can only be
applied on electrically conductive materials. The process has low material
removal rate and high electrical power consumption. Furthermore, additional
cost is incurred preparing the electrode tool in case of the die-sinking EDM.
Finally, sharp corners are difficult to produce using EDM because of electrode
tool wear.
 8

While many studies have reviewed EDM, wire EDM and other EDM
processes, no study has reviewed and reported on the use of EDM for machining
of stainless steel specifically, though there are many reviews available on other
materials machined by EDM.
This study aims to provide an overview of the significant contributions of
EDM to the machining of various stainless-steel variants. This paper reviews
the research studies that used different EDM variants for machining different
types of steel materials. The paper starts with a brief introduction of EDM and
its development, then it provides the working principles of this machining
method. EDM process parameters and performance measures are then
discussed. Next, the paper presents the various types of EDM processes. This
study also provides a review of the major areas of research into the application
of EDM to different grades of steel. The conclusions drawn by and the trend of,
the reviewed research is presented and discussed. Figure 1 shows the EDM
processes and their main input (process) parameters and output (performance)
measures.

Figure 1. Electric discharge machining (EDM) processes, process parameters

and performance measures.
 9

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE EDM

METHOD

2.1. EDM PRINCIPLES

The EDM manufacturing process was invented in the 1940’s. The principle of
the EDM technique is to use thermoelectric energy to erode a workpiece by
automatic spark repetition. The rapidly recurring electrical discharges (sparks)
between a non-contact electrode tool and the workpiece allow erosion caused
by sparks generated between electrode tool and the workpiece surface. In this
process, both the workpiece and the electrode tool are submerged in an
insulating dielectric fluid. The gap between the electrode tool and the workpiece
is carefully selected so that the voltage across the gap has a value that can ionize
the dielectric fluid in the gap due to electrical breakdown. Discrete electric
discharges between the electrode tool and workpiece are produced which in turn
generates a high temperature plasma channel, where instant thermal dissipation
occurs. The local high temperature melts both workpiece and tool. Then, the
eroded material solidifies in the form of debris. Flushing the dielectric fluid
during the machining process carries away debris (separated solid particles) and
restores the sparking condition in the gap and avoids short circuiting. No cutting
forces exist between the electrode tool and the workpiece because there is no
contact between them. This minimizes the vibration and stress problems that can
occur during machining.

Figure 2. Principle of EDM.

 10

2.2. EDM PROCESS PARAMETERS

The EDM process is driven by both electrical and non-electrical parameters. The
major electrical parameters are discharge voltage, peak current, pulse duration
and interval, electrode tool gap, polarity, and pulse waveform. The non-electrical
parameters include rotation of the electrode tool, the flushing action of the
dielectric fluid and the properties of the workpiece. These parameters are
described in this section.
The discharge or machining voltage is the average voltage in the spark gap
during machining. The electrical potential drops sharply after the open gap
voltage because of the discharge and the current flow rises. The machining will
begin at the working voltage. The discharge voltage directly influences the size
of spark gap and overcut. A low voltage is normally used with electrode tool
and workpiece materials that possess high electrical conductivity. In contrast,
materials with low conductivity use a much higher voltage. The peak current,
which is defined by the maximum power spent in discharge machining, is a
parameter that highly influences the EDM process. The peak current is
represented by the maximum level that is reached during the on-time of each
pulse. This parameter has a direct effect on the Material Removal Rate (MRR),
Tool Wear Rate (TWR) and machining accuracy. These characteristics make it
very important and has resulted in research into high wear resistance that can
occur with high current conditions.
The pulse on-time is the duration for which the discharge is applied. A high-
temperature plasma channel heats both the electrode tool and the workpiece
during the discharge. The amount of energy generated during the pulse on-time
has a direct effect on the MRR. Increasing the discharge energy by applying
longer pulse on-times increases the MRR. Debris form during the discharging
period, creating an insulation layer and lead to arcing. This layer can be flushed
away during pulse-off time. The pulse off-time is the time in which no discharge
is applied. Proper selection of the pulse off-time provides stable machining. A
shorter period can increase the machining speed but off-time should be long
enough to allow flushing away of debris from the gap; otherwise, it may result
in unsuitable conditions for the next on-time pulse, considering that long breaks
between pulses can cause overcooling the machined material which has impact
on MRR. The pulse wave form is usually rectangular in shape, to reduce
electrode tool wear other pulse shapes have been used, for example, trapezoidal.
Another generator has recently been developed to facilitate initiation of the main
 11

pulse by producing a high voltage pulse with a low current for a short period
before the main pulse.
The effect of the EDM process parameters on performance cannot be easily
explained because of the stochastic nature of the discharge mechanism. Thus,
many studies related to EDM have explored the influence of the process
parameters on performance measures and have introduced the concept of optimal
process parameters that achieve best performance.
The electrode tool polarity in the EDM process can be positive or negative
and this determines the direction of the electrical current, from or toward the
electrode tool. The choice of polarity depends on many factors, including
electrode tool and workpiece materials, current density and pulse length. In die-
sinking EDM, the generators have the flexibility to switch to either a positive or
a negative electrode tool polarity based on the machining requirements. Positive
electrode tool polarity is generally used in EDM operations because electrode
tool wear will be lower. The negative electrode tool polarity is a better choice if
a high MRR is more important than precision. Nevertheless, this is at the cost
of very high electrode tool wear. Negative electrode tool polarity machining
conditions are suitable for machining materials, such as carbide, titanium and
copper alloys, amongst others. In the wire-EDM process, the electrode “wire”
usually has a negative polarity because a high machining rate is required and the
wire wear is not important because the wire can be fed continuously to replace
the eroded portion.
The necessary sparks do not occur if the electrode tool and the workpiece
touch each other. Thus, the electrode tool and the workpiece are separated by a
small distance called the “inter-electrode gap.” The discharge gap is controlled
by the discharge gap servo that maintains the proper separation which is
normally between 0.005 mm and 0.1 mm. The electrode tool is moved up and
down during machining to enable proper evacuation of the debris. The discharge
occurs during the down period and the up period allows the flushing of the debris
away from the machining area. For finishing and micro EDM processes, RC
generator is usually used. The RC pulse generator is a low-cost power source
for EDM and principally a relaxation oscillator with a resistor and a capacitor.
It can produce very small pulse energy that generates small craters which in turn
lead to produce small surface roughness. However, lack of precision control is
the main disadvantage of RC generator especially for timing and slow charging.
The main non-electrical parameters are the flushing of the dielectric fluid,
workpiece, and electrode tool rotation. The EDM process needs a dielectric fluid
medium that submerges both the electrode tool and the workpiece to at least a
suitable distance above the gap between them. In addition to high dielectric
 12

strength, the dielectric fluid must have a flushing ability and fast recovery after
breakdown. The dielectric fluid provides insulation against premature

discharging, reduces the temperature in and around the machined area and
cleans away the separated debris.
For the die-sinking EDM, the dielectric fluid is a hydrocarbon and silicone-
based dielectric oil and kerosene with an increased flash-point. Some die-
sinking EDMs use de-ionized water for high-precision machining, such as fine
hole drilling. De-ionized water and oil are also used with wire EDM. Many
studies have recently been conducted to explore the use of oil-based synthetics
to avoid harmful effects to the worker and the environment. Previous studies
have reported that the dielectric type, flushing method and flushing pressure
influence the MRR, TWR, Surface Roughness (SR) and Surface Quality (SQ).
Dielectric flushing is improved with workpiece and electrode tool rotation. The
improvement in flushing due to electrode tool rotation achieves a better SR and
a higher MRR. Selecting the optimal flushing pressure can minimize the density
of the crack and the recast layer.

2.3. PERFORMANCE MEASURE PARAMETER

The performance parameters are the factors that measure the performance of the
EDM process. These parameters include the MRR, TWR and SQ. The MRR is
a measure of the performance of the erosion rate of the workpiece surface and
an indication of the machining ratio. The MRR is usually expressed as the
volume of the removed material per unit time. Techniques and methods to
improve the MRR have attracted attention because the MRR represents the
machining speed. The TWR is a measure of the erosion rate of the electrode tool
and has a direct influence on the shape of the machined cavity because of the
continual change in the electrode tool profile during the machining process. Like
the MRR, the TWR can be expressed by the volume of material removed per
unit time. Previous studies focused on reducing the TWR because the wear of
the electrode tool affects the electrode tool profile and leads to a lower precision.
The SQ is a measure of the quality of the machined surface and includes many
components, such as the SR, extent of the heat affected zone (HAZ), recast layer
thickness and micro-crack density. Many research studies have explored
utilization of the EDM process in surface treatment and have reported the SQ
generated by the process.
 13

2.4 TYPES OF EDM PROCESSES

2.4.1. DIE - SINKING EDM

In the die-sinking EDM process, the workpiece is machined by a controlled
electrical spark generated in the gap between the electrode tool and the
workpiece. Sparking is repeated until the electrode tool shape is replicated in
the workpiece surface facing the electrode tool. The heat produced by the
electrical spark causes a sharp temperature rise in the area to be machined (i.e.,
8000 to 12,000 ◦C). EDM machines contain a unit that controls and monitors the
machining variables, such as the gap and axis movements. Furthermore, this
system shows the process execution sequence.
Normally, copper or graphite is used as the electrode tool material in this
process with hydrocarbon dielectric because of its positive effect on the SR and
EWR (Electrode tool Wear Rate). The dielectric flows through the cooling
system, carrying the debris and eroded material with it, is filtered to remove the
suspended particles, and is returned to the system. In the die-sinking EDM
process, the electrode should be re-shaped to carry out the finishing operations.

Figure 3. Schematic diagram of the die-sinking EDM.

 14

2.4.2. WIRE EDM

In the wire EDM, a metallic thin wire is used to cut the workpiece along a well-
defined path. Discrete sparks between the wire and the workpiece cause eroding
in the machined area. The wire used is usually thin, the standard EDM wire is
0.25 mm. Micro-wires dimeter can range from 0.020 mm to 0.15 mm and is
normally copper, brass, or coated steel materials. As with the die-sinking EDM,
the wire and the workpiece do not have any contact during machining and both
should be immersed in a dielectric fluid. A high peak current of short duration
is applied in this process. The machining variables and the movement of the
worktable that holds the workpiece are controlled by the control units. Thus,
complicated shapes can be produced using this process.
The control unit contains a microprocessor to maintain the gap between the wire
and the workpiece in a suitable range, normally between 25 µm and 50 µm. In
addition, the unit controls the feeding of the wire through the workpiece at a
suitable speed that produces surfaces with very high accuracy. De-ionized water
is a common dielectric fluid used in this process. The wire EDM process has a
wide range of applications, such as in die making, electronics and automotive
industries. Closed operations, which do not start from the edges of the
workpiece, require the drilling of a full-depth hole to start the machining
process.

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of the Wire EDM.

 15

2.4.3. MICRO EDM

The micro-EDM is a machining process that follows the same principles as the
die-sinking EDM and wire EDM. The process removes material at the micro-
scale for components smaller than 100 µm, including micro-holes, micro-shafts
and 3D micro-cavities. The only principled difference from the other EDM
processes is the power involved. The MRR will be in nanometres because the
machine part is at the micro level and the required voltage and current will be
several times less than those used in the die-sinking EDM or any other normal-
level EDM process. This process can produce a hole or shaft diameters of only
5 µm, while holes of up to 70 µm and 40 µm can be produced by drilling and
laser machining, respectively. EDM at the micro-scale level is available in many
machining processes, such as die-sinking micro-EDM, micro-wire EDM, micro-
EDM drilling and micro-EDM milling. In the micro-wire EDM, a wire with a
diameter less than 20 µm is used. The minimum machinability of cavities in
other micro-EDM processes have diameters of 5 µm. The grain sizes of
workpiece materials have significant impact on the characteristics of micro
EDM. The MRR for micro-EDM has a direct relationship with the grain size of
the machined workpiece because the effective thermal conductivity and local
effective melting point of polycrystalline materials vary with grain sizes of these
materials since the grain boundary volume fractions change. It is worth
emphasizing that the material microstructure of the processed workpiece plays
a significant role in the performance of the micro EDM process. In particular,
the refined material microstructure can give a better surface quality when
compared with the results for the coarse-grained microstructure of the same
material. This conclusion is explained by the heterogeneity of the coarse-grained
material microstructure that normally leads to more anisotropic behaviour of the
microstructure and the more homogenous response of the refined microstructure
that results in more isotropic/consistence behaviour.

Figure 5. Schematic diagram of Micro EDM

 16

2.4.4. POWDER-MIXED EDM

As the name implies, powder of a suitable material, such as nickel, is mixed with
the dielectric fluid. The presence of this powder makes the process mechanism
substantially different from the conventional EDM process. The powder
particles fill the gap between the electrode tool and the workpiece when a
voltage is applied during machining. This particle aggregation forces the
electrode tool and the workpiece to move a small distance further apart by an
amount equal to the gap filled by the powder particles. The gap between the
electrode tool and the workpiece can increase by 100% to 300% (from 25–50
µm to 50–150 µm). The presence of the powder particles between the electrode
tool and the workpiece leads to earlier and faster sparking, which causes a higher
erosion rate.

Figure 6. Schematic diagram of Powder-mixed EDM

2.4.5. DRY EDM

The dry EDM uses dielectric high-pressure gas instead of dielectric liquid. Here,
the electrode tool is in the form of a thin-walled pipe through which high-
pressure gas or air is supplied. The pressurized gases flow outwards through the
gap between electrode tool and machined surface and carry away the debris
being formed. The gases also reduce the machining area temperature. Using gas
instead of fluid in this process can reduce harmful environmental effects. Most
notably the dielectric fluid and the powder-mixed dielectrics in the EDM
processes are associated with evaporation from the fluid surface during
machining. Utilizing gas can also decrease the cost of managing the debris waste
 17

and enhance the machining performance and the environment as regards worker
health. From this point of view, this process could be named as the “Green
EDM.” The dry EDM process positively influences the MRR and reduces the
EWR. Under ideal conditions, this process allows to obtain very good accuracy
and surface layer quality.
In addition to the previous main types of EDM, there are other types such as
EDM milling, in this type the final shape is obtained using a simple electrode
tool which is moved in a 3D path along several directions and may also subject
to rotations. A combination of the two cutting systems can also be applied. Also,
EDM grinding, when the electrode tool design as a rotating disk.

Figure 7. Schematic diagram of Dry EDM

2.5. Mathematical modelling of the thermos-physical phenomenon in EDM

EDM involves removal of material from the workpiece due to heat generated
from electric discharge in the inter-electrode gap. Plethora of research study and
analyse this phenomenon; mathematical models are developed to provide better
understanding of the EDM process. A quasi-static model is proposed by, the
model computes the material removal rate based on predicted distribution of the
temperature in the workpiece. Equation of transient heat conduction is employed
to predict the distribution. The model assumes Gaussian heat flux since it gives
better results as demonstrated by. Finite element method is used to solve the
model and obtain the results, which show significant closeness to the
experimental results. The model is used to predict the aerosol emission of EDM
process. 70% of the aerosol is found to be vaporized material from the workpiece
and the tool, the rest comes from the dielectric fluid.
The electric field generated in the interelectrode gap is modelled by. The
model represents the electric field at two stages. First; before-discharge stage,
where Laplace equation is used to model the electrostatic field. Second; during–
 18

discharge state, where Poisson equation is used to model the spatial discharge
from electrode and particles of the dielectric fluid. Fluid flow in the
interelectrode gap is modelled by. The model attempts to study the motion of
the debris particle as well as the drag force between the particles and the
dielectric fluid. The purpose is to improve the removal of debris from the
machining zone. Fluent software is used to build 3D model of drilling high
aspect ratio of a hole. The effect of incorporating ultrasonic vibration is verified
using the proposed model; optimal amplitudes and frequencies are determined
using the model based on a set of process parameters.
 19

CHAPTER 3. DIFFERENT STAINLESS-STEEL GRADES

Steels can be categorized into four groups; stainless steel, tool steel, carbon steel
and alloy steel. Each of these groups has its own characteristics, which makes it
suitable for specific applications. This paper focuses on stainless steel. This
group has good corrosion and chemical reaction resistance. Stainless steel can
be divided into three classes; martensitic, ferritic, and austenitic. All stainless
steels contain common alloying ingredients, such as chromium (minimum of
11%), nickel and molybdenum.

Table 1. Designations, compositions, mechanical properties and typical

applications for austenitic, ferritic, martensitic and precipitation-hardenable
stainless steels.
Mechanical Properties

AISI UNS Composition Tensile Yield Ductility

Condition b
Number Number (wt.%) a Strength Strength [%EL in Typical
[MPa (ksi)] [MPa 50 mm Applications
(ksi)] (2in.)]
Ferritic

0.08 C, 11.0 Automotive

Cr, exhaust
409 S40900 1.0 Mn, Annealed 380 (55) 205 (30) 20 components, tanks
0.50 Ni, 0.75 for agricultural
Ti sprays
Valves
(high
0.20 C, 25
temperature),
446 S44600 Cr, Annealed 515 (75) 275 (40) 20
glass moulds,
1.5 Mn
combustion
chambers
Austenitic

Chemical and
0.08 C, 19
food processing
304 S30400 Cr, Annealed 515 (75) 205 (30) 40
equipment,
2.0 Mn, 9 Ni
cryogenic vessels
0.03 C, 17
Cr, 2.0
Welding
316L S31603 Mn, Annealed 485 (70) 170 (25) 40
construction
2.5 Mo, 12
Ni
Martensitic

0.15 C, 12.5 485 (70) 275 (40) 20 Rifle barrels,

Annealed
410 S41000 Cr, 825 (120) 629 (90) 12 cutlery, jet
Q&T
1.0 Mn engine parts
0.70 C, 17
Cutlery,
Cr, Annealed 725 (105) 415 (60) 20
440A S44002 bearings,
1.0 Mn, Q&T 1790 (260) 1650 (240) 5
surgical tools
0.75 Mo
 20

CHAPTER 4. RESEARCH ON EDM OF STAINLESS STEEL

This section will discuss research that considered the performance of different
grades of stainless steels subject to EDM processes.

Table 2. Details of EDM process research studies for different grades of stainless steels.

Grades and
Corresponding Composition (wt.%) Properties
Machining Operations
AISI (SUS) 304
Die-sinking EDM C ≤ 0.08, Cr 18.00–20.00, Excellent corrosion resistance and very good
Wire EDM Mn ≤ 2.0, Ni 8–10.5, drawability. It has low yield strength and high
Micro-EDM P ≤ 0.045, S ≤ 0.03, Si ≤ elongation. It can be welded by all fusion and
Dry EDM 1.00 resistance welding processes
Powder-mixed EDM
C ≤ 0.03, Cr 18.00–20.00
The low carbon version of 304. It has good
AISI 304 L Mn ≤ 2. 00, Ni 10.00–13.00,
resistance to carbide precipitation and so is
Micro-EDM P ≤ 0.045, S ≤ 0.030, Si ≤
recommended for corrosion resistance in water
1.00,
It has excellent corrosion resistance. Subject to
AISI (SUS) 316 C ≤ 0.08, Cr 16.00–18.00, pitting and crevice corrosion in warm chloride
Die-sinking EDM Mo 2.00–3.00, Mn ≤ 2.00, environments and to stress corrosion cracking above
Wire EDM Ni 10.00–14.00, P ≤ 0.045, S ≤ about 60 ◦C. It cannot be hardened by thermal
Micro-EDM 0.030, Si ≤ 1.00, treatment. It has excellent weldability by all fusion
methods.
C ≤ 0.03, Cr 16.00–18.00,
AISI 316L The low carbon version of 316. It is more resistant to
Mn ≤ 2.00, Mo 2.00–3.00,
Die-sinking EDM carbide precipitation and has higher strength at
Ni 12.00–15.00, P ≤ 0.045, S ≤
Micro-EDM elevated temperatures.
0.030, Si ≤ 1.00,
Excellent toughness at low temperatures.
C ≤ 0.15, Cr 17.00–19.00, When machined produces long, gummy chips. The
AISI 202 Mn 7.50–10.00, N ≤ 0.25, material can be welded by fusion and resistance
Die-sinking EDM Ni 4.00–6.00, P ≤ 0.060, S ≤ methods but should not be joined using oxyacetylene
0.030, Si ≤ 0.75, welding. Forging below 1010 ◦C (1850 ◦F) is not
advisable for this grade
This grade has high hardness, wear resistance and
C 0.39, Cr 15.89, Mo 1.02, strength. It loses mechanical properties by over-
AISI 440
Mn 0.87, P < 0.003, tempering; therefore, it should not be used at
A2 Wire EDM
S < 0.003, Si 0.46, temperatures below the relevant tempering
temperature. It is fully annealed at 850 to 900 ◦C.
A high-carbon steel with minimum chromium
AISI C 0.16–0.25, Cr 12.00–14.00 content of 12%. It offers good ductility in its
420 Wire Mn ≤ 1.00, P ≤ 0.040, S ≤ annealed state and excellent corrosion resistance
EDM 0.030, Si ≤ 1.00, properties when the metal is polished, surface ground
or hardened. It has corrosion resistance.
Modified AISI C 0.38, Cr 13.6, Mn 0.5, Si
Similar to grade 420 with more carbon content.
420 Wire EDM 0.9, V 0.3
Super duplex ferralium 255 SD50 has high yield
C max 0.03, Cr 24.50–25.50, Cu strength, withstanding stresses of over 550 N/mm2. It
1.5–2.0, Mn 0.8–1.2, has excellent corrosion resistance to corrosive. In
Ferralium 255 SD 50
Mo 3.20–3.80, N 0.21–0.24, seawater it offers superior resistance to crevice
(plate) Micro EDM
Ni 5.60–6.50, P ≤ 0.035, S ≤ corrosion and pitting. It shows excellent ductility and
0.030, Si ≤ 0.4 impact resistance combined with a great resistance to
abrasion, erosion and cavitation erosion.
 21

4.1. Performance Measures for the EDM of Stainless Steel

A significant amount of research has been conducted into the effect of working
parameters on the processing performance of EDM of stainless steel. Many
methods have been introduced to improve performance. Shen, et al. recently
proposed high-speed dry EDM to improve MRR. Utilizing the proposed method,
the material rapidly melted by the high-discharge energy and was flushed out at
high pressure. The authors considered the influence of workpiece polarity,
discharge current, pulse duration, gas pressure and electrode tool rotation speed
on the machining performance. Moreover, the study investigated the solidified
layer, surface morphology, composition of the working material and phase of
the AISI 304 stainless steel used with the high-speed dry EDM. Figure 6 shows
some of the results from the paper.

Figure 8. (a) Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM) photograph of the cross-

section of the AISI304 in high-speed dry EDM; (b) EDS spectra of the re-solidified
layer and base materials; (c) XRD diffractograms of the re-solidified layer, heat
affected zone and base materials; and (d) micro-hardness of the cross-
section.
Ugrasen, used multiple regression analysis and the group method data
handling technique to develop a model for predicting the parameters that defined
machine performance. The effects of the cutting parameters, including pulse-on,
pulse-off, current and bed speed with constant voltage and flush rate on the four
response parameters (accuracy, SR, volumetric MRR and TWR), were
 22

discussed. Muthuramalingam and Mohan studied the surface finish obtained

using an iso duration current pulse generator. The authors reported that, the
modified iso duration current pulse generator produced a better SQ with a higher
MRR than the conventional transistor pulse train generator.
The study reported on the effect of high spindle speed on the micro drilling
of deeper holes with a lower tool wear ratio, when machining stainless steel
(SUS304) plate. Son, investigated the influence of the EDM pulse condition, in
particular pulse duration and the ratio of on-time to off-time, on the machining
properties; TWR, MRR and machining quality. Govindan and Joshi studied
micro-crack formation, discussing the influence of the machining parameters on
crack formation, micro-crack length, orientation and number of cracks.

The authors reported that the breakdown mechanism was different from the
traditional EDM when the work gap was filled with gas rather than liquid
dielectric. They presented MRR, TWR and specific MRR, as well as the
sparking, arcing and ignition delay times on the function of the anode material.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Figure 9. (a) MRR dependence on anode and cathode material combinations; (b) TWR as
a function of anode and cathode material combinations; (c) sparking, arcing, shorts and
ignition delay times as a function of anode and cathode material combinations; and (d)
current specific MRR as a function of the anode and cathode material combinations
 23

4.2. Electrode Tool Shape and Movement Research in the EDM

of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel material has been considered in strip electrode studies.
For example,
Song, proposed a strip electrode and guide system to minimize electrode tool
wear during EDM. This was achieved by making the electrode a conductive strip
which was continuously fed from a bobbin to a winding reel thus reducing
electrode tool wear at any point on the strip, like that in the wire EDM. The strip
EDM method was combined with EDM milling and wire-EDM and in addition
to greatly reducing electrode tool wear, this method did not require the finish-
cut process. The study applied the proposed method to the milling and turning
of various stainless-steel workpieces. The electrode tool wear when using
conventional EDM was different from that obtained using a strip electrode
because the latter was being continuously renewed with the eroded part of the
strip replaced by a non-eroded portion.

Figure 10. (a) Strip-EDM system; and (b) electrode guide.

 24

(c)

Figure 11. (a) General EDM; (b) strip EDM; and (c) concept of the strip EDM.

Figure 12. Strip-EDM turning process.

Figure 13. Product created using three kinds of strip-EDM turning.

 25

It was revealed that a copper electrode tool performed better than a brass
electrode tool in terms of hole quality, MRR and EWR. Muthuramalingam, used
brass and tungsten carbide tools to investigate the effect of tool re-solidification
on surface hardness during EDM of AISI 202 stainless steel. It was revealed that
the surface hardness of the workpiece increased with the tungsten carbide
electrode tool whereas it decreased with the brass electrode tool due to layer
formation on the workpiece.
The study investigated the effect of machining parameters, such as pulse-on
time, peak current, gap voltage and tool thickness on the MRR and TWR. The
study explored the effect of these parameters on the on cylindricity error,
circularity error and diameter error. The author reported that, Wire tension has
highest contribution on cylindricity error which is lowest at high value wire
tension. Pulse on time has minor contribution on the cylindricity error and it
increases with the increase of pulse on time. Pulse of time does not have any
influence on the cylindricity error. The circularity error was lowest at medium
pulse off time and medium wire tension; and those two parameters have almost
similar and highest contributions. The pulse on time has around 14%
contribution on circularity error and the medium value of it minimizes the
circularity error. The input parameters such has pulse on time, pulse off time
and wire tension have around 13%, 16% and 7% contributions respectively on
diameter error which is minimized at medium pulse on time and low pulse off
time and low wire tension.

4.3. Combined and Hybrid Processes for Stainless Steel

Many studies introduced hybrid process for EDM. Stainless steel materials were
also considered in many hybrid processes. Zeng investigated the combining of
micro-EDM and micro-electro-chemical machining (ECM) for the milling of a
3D micro-structure. The micro-EDM shaping and micro-ECM finishing were
performed in sequence on the same machine tool with the same electrode tool
but different dielectric media. The processing conditions were experimentally
investigated for 304 stainless steels. The electrode tool used in both processes
was fabricated online using an anti-copying block. The authors reported that the
machining precision and shape accuracy were much better than parts machined
using only micro-ECM milling. They also found that the SQ and mechanical
properties of the workpiece were improved. The study demonstrated that this
combined milling method was possible and useful in the field of 3D metallic
micro-structure milling.
 26

Aligiri, proposed a combination of the single electrical discharge electro-thermal

model with online monitoring of the EDM inter-electrode gap to estimate the
material removal volume in real time. An electro-thermal model was used to
estimate unit material removal volume, while the online monitoring process was
employed to count the number of discharge pulses and discriminate the micro-
EDM pulse. The pulse distribution was used to illustrate the ongoing inter-
electrode gap condition. A new micro-EDM drilling scheme was developed by
utilizing the real-time estimator of the material removal volume, which enabled
compensation for the effect of tool wear and led to the fabrication of accurate
micro-holes. The authors reported that the experimental and estimated results
were found to be in satisfactory agreement with the average error less than
14.3% for stainless steel, titanium and nickel alloy workpieces under various
energy input and machining depth settings.
Yu, combined ultrasonic vibration with the planetary movement of an
electrode tool to drill micro-holes with high aspect ratios using micro-EDM.
Stainless steel was used to experimentally evaluate the proposed method. The
authors reported that the wetting effect of the ultrasonic vibration was larger
than the effect of the uneven distributed gap provided by the planetary
movement of the electrode tool. Another combination of the ultrasonic and
electrical discharge machining has been presented by Gao and Liu, where the
proposed method was to vibrate the workpiece during machining. Based on the
experimental results of machining stainless steel and copper, the authors
reported that the induced workpiece vibration significantly affected the
performance of the micro-EDM. Furthermore, the efficiency and the aspect ratio
of the hole of the ultrasonic-aided micro-EDM noticeably increased. Chen,
designed a mechanism of cutting a pipe using EDM to avoid the pipe
deformation, residual stresses and loss of strength usually obtained with
traditional pipe cutting mechanisms. The mechanism was set up on the table of
the EDM machine. This combination was utilized to study its effect on the
machining parameters, such as the MRR and relative TWR and on machining
characteristics. The machining variables, including machining polarity, peak
current, pulse duration and electrode tool rotary speed, were chosen to explore
the machining efficiency.
 27

4.4. Effect of the EDM Process on the Properties of Stainless Steel

and the Machined Surface
The effect of the EDM process on the mechanical behaviour of stainless steel
has been studied by many researchers. Jha, studied the role played by the EDM
process in the fatigue performance of 15–5 PH stainless steel. The study
conducted qualification tests of a piston workpiece made of the given stainless
steel. The piston had fractured under cyclic loading with the fracture initiated at
the surface machined by EDM and propagated under the cyclic loading

Figure 14. Photographs showing (a) the failed piston and (b) the location of failure.

The effect of deep cryogenically treated post tempered electrode tools during
EDM operation of AISI 304 stainless steel. They considered process parameters
including pulse on time, duty cycle, peak current, gap voltage and flushing
pressure to investigate the process performance by means of radial overcut.
Microstructural analysis has been carried out for the machined surfaces. The
authors reported that, deep cryotreated post tempered electrode tools
considerably decrease the radial overcut. developed a micro punching system
with a micro electrical discharge machining (EDM) module. They reported that,
the key dimensional error of blanked part varies by different materials, which is
less than 2.5 µm.
An experimental investigation of thermal strain caused by electrical discharge
machining on a stainless-steel (SUS430) plate was proposed. Experimental
results revealed that the maximum thermal strain caused by electrical discharge
machining was proportional to the drilling depth.
 28

CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION

Reviewing the publications related to the stainless-steel machining using the

EDM process shows that the majority of studies investigated the effect of
working parameters on performance parameters; mainly the MRR, EWR and
SQ. Other research has been conducted to solve or study other issues, such as
electrode tool shape and movement, effect of EDM process on the properties of
stainless steel, the machined surface, combined and hybrid processes and the
dielectric fluid used in the process, amongst others. Researchers have paid more
attention to the die-sinking EDM and micro-EDM processes to identify optimal
and near-optimal working parameters, an emphasis which may be attributed to
the popularity of the two processes. In contrast, little or no attention has been
paid to the powder-mixed EDM process of stainless steel machining.
Most researchers have focused on parameter optimization rather than
process innovation. Hybrid processes are now becoming a hot research topic but
this is a new area and will require much work before it can be successfully
adopted by industry. Micro-EDM is also becoming prominent due to the
demands by industry for miniaturization. Electrical discharge turning (EDT) is
an upcoming field now emerging as a domain within EDM.

Dry EDM Wire EDM Micro EDM Die-sinking EDM

10%

10%

45%

35%

Figure 15. Relative usage of the different EDM processes utilized for studying stainless
steel machining.
 29

Material removal rate (MRR) analysis

The higher current will give the higher the value of MRR. When the voltage is
increased, the MRR will follow increased. The result of graph is when the pulse
on time is increased, MRR will follow increase
 30

CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION

This review on the state-of-the-art studies on the EDM processing of stainless

steels leads to the following conclusions:
• Several research studies have been carried out in the field of EDM and
significant improvements in the properties of the machined surfaces have
been reported.
• Despite promising results, EDM processes for new materials used in
industry still have problems, including low MRR and high TWR. These
issues require further investigation.
• The reported results generally agree, for machining different stainless steel
grades on the EDM the main factor influencing the MRR is the discharge
current. However, pulse duration time, gas pressure and electrode tool
rotation speed also have a significant influence on the MRR and the MRR
can be further improved by using strip-EDM instead of wire-EDM.
• The review reveals that the main parameters influencing the EWR are the
discharge current and pulse duration time.
• The reports generally agree that the SR decreases and better surface finish
was achieved, with lower values of pulsed current and pulse-on time and
relatively higher pulse-off time. High quality SR cannot be achieved where
long-duration pulses are used during the finish machining.
• The review reveals that the crack length is significantly influenced by
voltage, current, pulse off-time and speed in the wall and bottom regions of
holes machined using dry EDM.
• The review also reveals that workpiece vibration caused by ultrasonic action
can improve the performance and efficiency of the micro-EDM process by
many times compared to the EDM processes without ultrasonic vibration.
• Applying a magnetic field can improve the geometric and surface quality in
the dry EDM process. Using a magnetic field can also lead to a higher
transfer of thermal energy to the workpiece and improves the removal of
melted material with the dry EDM.
• The orbiting technique provides more uniform geometries of the machined
hole and greatly improves the bottom quality for blind holes. The technique
also reduces the tooling needs and the electrode tool wear but increases
machining times.
• Most researchers paid attention to parameter optimization rather than
process improvement or innovation.
 31

CHAPTER 7. FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTONS

Despite so much work in the field of EDM, there remain issues which require
further investigation, these are listed as follows:
• Optimizing Process Parameters.
• Extending EDM to a wider range of workpiece materials.
• Use of different electrode tools.
• Electrode tool cooling methods.
• Hybrid or assisted EDM Powder mix EDM.

Figure 16. Possible future research areas in EDM.

Future research directions can be classified into four broad categories which can
be further divided into sub-categories as follows:.

Figure 17. Classification of possible future research directions.

 32

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