Int J Adv Manuf Technol

DOI 10.1007/s00170-013-5059-x

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Experimental and finite element analysis of EDM process

and investigation of material removal rate by response
surface methodology
Mehrdad Hosseini Kalajahi & Samrand Rash Ahmadi &
Samad Nadimi Bavil Oliaei

Received: 23 January 2013 / Accepted: 6 May 2013

# Springer-Verlag London 2013

Abstract In this study, thermal modeling and finite element Keywords EDM . FEM . MRR . DOE . RSM
simulation of electrical discharge machining (EDM) has
been done, taking into account several important aspects Abbreviations
such as temperature-dependent material properties, shape EDM Electrical discharge machining
and size of the heated zone (Gaussian heat distribution), FEM Finite element method
energy distribution factor, plasma flushing efficiency, and PFE Plasma flushing efficiency
phase change to predict thermal behavior and material re- MRR Material removal rate
moval mechanism in EDM process. Temperature distribu- DOE Design of experiments
tion on the cathode has been calculated using ANSYS finite RSM Response surface methodology
element code, and the effect of EDM parameters on heat TWR Tool wear ratio
distribution along the radius and depth of the workpiece has Fc Energy distribution factor
been obtained. Temperature profiles have been used to cal- PDF Probability density function
culate theoretical material removal rate (MRR) from the ANOVA Analysis of variance
cathode. Theoretically calculated MRRs are compared with
the experimental results, making it possible to precisely
determine the portion of energy that enters the cathode for
AISI H13 tool steel. Also in this paper, the effect of EDM 1 Introduction
parameters on MRR has been investigated by using the
technique of design of experiments and response surface Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a widespread tech-
methodology. Finally, a quadratic polynomial regression nique used in industry for high-precision machining of all
model has been proposed for MRR, and the accuracy of this types of conductive materials, such as metals, metallic al-
model has been checked by means of analysis of residuals. loys, graphite, and even some ceramic materials, of any
hardness. Its ability to control the process parameters to
achieve the required dimensional accuracy and surface fin-
M. Hosseini Kalajahi : S. Rash Ahmadi
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
ish has placed EDM in an outstanding position in industrial
Urmia University, Urmia, Iran applications [1]. In spite of the increasing popularity of this
M. Hosseini Kalajahi
technique, it needs to combine high material removal rate
e-mail: [email protected] (MRR), low tool wear rate (TWR), and excellent surface
quality to be more efficient in the industry. A number of
S. Rash Ahmadi
e-mail: [email protected] researchers have shown that EDM process can be simulated
through thermal models that can be used to predict the
S. Nadimi Bavil Oliaei (*) amount of material removed during a single pulse. Snoeys
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Bilkent University, Bilkent,
and Van Dijck [2] developed an electro-thermal model uti-
Ankara 06800, Turkey lizing a semi-infinite cylinder with a disk-shaped heat input.
e-mail: [email protected] Energy distribution factor for the cathode was assumed as
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

50 %. The work was followed by Van Dijck and Dutre [3] they made use of Gaussian heat flux and time-dependent
using a two-dimensional heat flow model where the medium equation for plasma radius and they incorporated the effect
is bounded by an adiabatic cylindrical surface in the radial of solid-to-liquid phase changes, using constant material prop-
direction. The work was carried out for both finite and erties and neglecting the effect of PFE can be considered as
infinite continuum. Beck [4, 5] was the subsequent research- restrictions to their model. It should be mentioned that the
er who investigated the heat distribution on the cathode value of 8 % which has been used in this study as a portion of
using constant thermal properties and constant heat flux energy that enters into the anode is reported for iron, not for
and neglecting the convective heat transfer. In their study, molybdenum. An axisymmetric two-dimensional model for
the fraction of energy transferred into the cathode was not powder-mixed electric discharge machining using the finite
taken into account. Jilani and Pandey [6, 7] presented a element method was reported by Kansal et al. [14]. The model
similar approach. They proposed a semi-infinite model con- utilizes several important aspects such as temperature-
sidering a disk-shaped heat flux, a constant spark radius, and dependent material properties, shape and size of heat source
an energy distribution factor (Fc) of 50 %. The most accu- (Gaussian heat distribution), phase change (enthalpy), etc.,
rate and reliable model which was presented until then was however assuming a constant value for PFE for all machining
the model proposed by Dibitonto et al. [8]. This study was conditions (20 %) and presuming a value of 9 % as a portion
thus considered as a benchmark in EDM process modeling of energy transferred to the anode without presenting any
and was followed by numerous researchers. In this study, experimental or theoretical calculation are some limitations
the plasma radius at the cathode was assumed to be much of this study. In 2008, Yeo et al. [15] critically compared
smaller than that at the anode. Therefore, the heat source various reported EDM thermal models in terms of temperature
was approximated by a point instead of disk-shaped. The distribution, crater geometry, and material removal at the
energy distributed to the cathode for erosion was assumed to cathode. Comparative analyses on the MRR ratio of the pre-
be 18 %. Panda and Bhoi [9] developed a three-dimensional dicted result to experimental data for discharge energy range
transient heat conduction model of EDM process consider- from 0.33 to 952 mJ showed that DiBitonto's model yielded
ing the growth of the plasma channel. The model, however, the closest proximity of 1.2–46.1 MRR ratio. In 2010, Joshi et
has limited applicability as it considered constant spark al. [16] presented an investigation on MRR simulation and
radius for all discharge conditions. It should be mentioned shape of the crater cavity considering more realistic assump-
that none of the aforementioned studies have incorporated tions. They carried out their research in two phases: in the first
the effect of plasma flushing efficiency (PFE) and phase section, they compared their results with one reported by
change in their models. Dibitonto et al. and reported that their model predicts results
In an attempt to simulate the EDM process by finite ele- closer to experimental data; in the second phase, they inves-
ment modeling, Yadav et al. [10] developed a finite element tigated MRR and crater shape on AISI P20, considering the
model to estimate the temperature field and thermal stresses PFE as 100 % and Fc as 18 %. Although most of the simpli-
by applying a thermal load as a Gaussian heat flux. In their fying assumptions were eliminated in this study but neglecting
study, a heat distribution factor of 0.42 has been used to the effect of PFE, convective heat transfer and requirement for
calculate temperature distribution. Their model has limited the calculation of a more precise value of Fc will place some
applicability since they have neglected the effect of phase minor limitations on their model. Shabgard et al. [17] simu-
change, PFE, and temperature-dependent material properties, lated the EDM process of AISI H13 tool steel and investigated
and they assumed a constant spark radius. In addition, they did the depth of recast and hardened layers. The lack of consider-
not calculate the value of Fc for the material used in their study ing phase transformation and computing of a true value of Fc
and applied the value presented by Shanker et al. [11] which can be named as restrictions of their study.
has been calculated using water as the dielectric fluid and at Most of the reported theoretical models based on thermal
different processing conditions. Das et al. [12] presented a analysis have limited applicability as they are based on
finite element model which used process parameters such as assumptions like approximation of heat source as a point
power input and pulse duration to predict the transient tem- or disk-shaped (uniform) [2–8], constant heat flux radius
perature distribution and residual stresses that are induced in [2–8, 10], constant thermal properties of work/tool materials
the workpiece as a result of a single-pulse discharge. The PFE [2–8, 10, 13], the lack of applying PFE [2–14, 16], and
values incorporated in their research have presented for iron calculating the exact value for energy distribution factor
not the L6 tool steel which was the material of choice for their [2–7, 10–17]. A need to eliminate these simplifying assump-
study. In their study, they adopted a value of 18 % for Fc, tions to make the model more realistic thus exists in order to
which is only valid for EDM of iron and cannot be generalized accurately predict the shape and size of EDM-induced
to the EDM of other materials. Process simulation and residual craters.
stress analysis for micro-EDM machining on molybdenum in In the present paper, an effort has been made to simulate
reverse polarity is presented by Allen et al. [13]. Although the EDM process considering more realistic assumptions.
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Fig. 1 a Schematic
representation of heat flux
applied on the cathode. b
Portion of workpiece chosen for
analysis

ANSYS finite element code has been used to develop a and the accuracy of this model has been checked by means of
numerical model of the EDM process. After analyzing and the analysis of residuals.
solving the model, we have managed to govern the heat
distribution on the workpiece (cathode). Calculated heat dis-
tribution has been used to obtain MRR. In order to investigate 2 Thermal modeling of the EDM process
the accuracy of the predicted MRR, numerous experiments
have been done at Arman Sanat die and mold manufacturing 2.1 EDM process
company. In addition to the conducted experiments, some
comparisons are also made with data available in the literature. Processes that use electric discharge phenomenon to remove
Comparing numerical and experimental data allowed us to material from the workpiece can be classified into three main
precisely predict the energy distribution factor for AISI H13 categories: die sinking EDM, milling EDM, and wire EDM
tool steel which was used in this study. Using the developed (wire cut). In die sinking EDM, which has been considered in
model, the effect of the EDM parameters on MRR has been this paper, two electrodes (tool and the workpiece) are closely
investigated by using the techniques of design of experiments fixed inside a liquid dielectric medium. A voltage up to 200 V
(DOE) and response surface methodology (RSM). A quadrat- is applied between the electrodes generating, a high-density
ic polynomial regression model has been proposed for MRR electric field which results in the ionization of dielectric liquid

Fig. 2 Axisymmetric model for

EDM simulation and boundary
conditions
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Table 1 Thermal properties of AISI H13 tool steel workpiece around the spark is chosen for analysis,
Temperature (K) Thermal conductivity Specific heat Density, which is shown in Fig. 1b.
(W/m.K) (J/kg K) (kg/m3)
2.2 Assumptions
293 24.3 460 7,800
773 27.7 550 7,640 The machining mechanism of EDM is complex as it in-
873 27.5 590 7,600 volves numerous phenomena such as heat conduction and
radiation, phase changes, electrical forces, bubble forma-
Melt temperature 1,727 K; latent heat of fusion 2.8×105 J/kg
tion, and collapse and rapid solidification; therefore some
simplifying assumptions are used as follows:
in the closest distance between electrodes due to the
created electric field and lets the electrons fall down 1. The model is developed for a single spark.
from the cathode to the anode. Thus, the plasma chan- 2. It is assumed that the shape of the elements is not
nel is generated, and it has enough energy to melt and affected by thermal expansion [14].
even vaporize the workpiece and tool material [12]. 3. The workpiece is free from any type of stress before the
Upon finishing the pulse on-time, plasma pressure di- EDM process [14].
minishes, which allows the dielectric fluid to wash away 4. Conduction is considered as the mode of heat transfer to
the molten material from the EDM-induced crater. the electrodes [19].
During this process, a small amount of molten material 5. The work domain is axisymmetric about the Z axis.
is washed away according to PFE, and the remaining 6. Workpiece and tool material are homogeneous and iso-
material resolidifies and makes the recast layer in the tropic in nature.
crater. During the EDM process, numerous discharges 7. PFE is a function of pulse current and pulse on-time
happen in a regularly timed manner, and each spark [17].
produces a small crater on the workpiece. A combina-
tion of these craters forms the desired shape on the 2.3 Governing equations
workpiece. During each discharge, heat flux is applied
on the workpiece where the inter-electrode gap is min- Since the model is axisymmetric, we can consider the Fourier
imum (Fig. 1a), which can be used to model and sim- heat conduction equation independent of circumferential con-
ulate the EDM process. Assuming the nature of these dition as the differential equation which is given by:
sparks to be the same, we can model one of them and


extend it to all the sparks that happen during the pro- 1 ∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T
kr þ k ¼ ρC p ð1Þ
cess [14, 16]. A small cylindrical portion of the r ∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂t

Fig. 3 Schematic of
temperature distribution on the
cathode
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

 
Table 2 EDM parameters used in the analysis where Q}w ðrÞ mw2 , is the heat flux applied to the workpiece
Levels I (A) Ton (μs) V (v) during the pulse on-time and it has a zero magnitude during
the pulse off-time. R(m) is the spark radius, h m2w K is the
Level 1 5 25 50 heat transfer coefficient for the dielectric fluid, and T0 (K) is
Level 2 10 50 65 the dielectric temperature at the beginning of the EDM
Level 3 20 100 80 process.
Level 4 30 300 –
Level 5 40 500 – 2.5 Spark radius

I discharge current, Ton pulse on-time, V discharge voltage It is obvious that the size of the plasma channel does not
remain constant during discharge but grows with time. Its
growth depends on various parameters such as electrode
where T is temperature (K), t is time (s), ρ is density (mkg3 ), k is
material, pulse current, pulse on-time, and polarity.
thermal conductivity ( mwK ), Cp is specific heat capacity of
Different equations have been reported by researchers to
workpiece material in solid state ( kgJK ), and r and Z denote identify how spark radius grows during pulse on-time [8,
coordinate axis as shown in Fig. 1b. 18, 20]. From literature survey and as reported by several
researchers [16, 17, 25], a semi-empirical equation (Eq. 4)
2.4 Boundary and initial conditions proposed by Ikai and Hashiguchi [18] which gives the spark
radius as a function of current and pulse on-time can be used
Figure 2 illustrates the assumed boundary conditions for as an effective relation for the modeling of the growth of the
the model. On the top surface, the heat transferred to plasma channel:
the workpiece during the spark on-time is represented
by a Gaussian heat flux distribution. Heat loss to the R ¼ ð2:04e−3ÞI 0:43 T on 0:44 ð4Þ
dielectric is modeled using convective boundary condi-
tions on surface AB. No heat transfer occurs across where I (A) is the pulse current and Ton (s) is pulse on-time.
surfaces AD, BC, and DC as they are either symmetry
line or boundary in the far distance, and the initial 2.6 Heat distribution
temperature is equal to dielectric temperature. In math-
ematical terms, the applied boundary and initial condi- The type of heat flux applied onto the model as a heat source
tions are represented by Eqs. 2 and 3: is one of the most important factors in the simulation pro-
8  00
cess as it directly affects the accuracy of the results. Most of
> ∂T
< k  ∂z ¼ Qw ðrÞ if 0 ≤ r ≤ R on AB the previous researchers assumed two types of heat fluxes
k ∂T ∂z ¼ hðT −T 0 Þ if r > R on AB ð2Þ for their models: point heat source and uniformly distributed
: ∂T  ¼ 0 for boundries AD; BC; DC
>
heat flux [2–8], but none of them can be true since the
∂n
energy density of the sparks is not uniform in different radii
T ð t ¼ 0Þ ¼ T 0 ð3Þ of the plasma channel during discharge. Thus, the nature of

a b 7000
7000
6500
6000
6000
5500
5000
5000
Temprature(K)
Temprature(K)

4500 I=5A
I=5A
4000 4000
I=10A I=10A
3500
3000 I=20A 3000 I=20A
2500 I=30A
I=30A
2000 2000
I=40A I=40A
1500
1000 1000
500
0 0
0 0.00005 0.0001 0.00015 0.0002 0.00025 0 0.00005 0.0001 0.00015 0.0002 0.00025
radius(m) Depth(m)

Fig. 4 Effect of pulse current on heat distribution: a across the radius of the workpiece, b in depth of the workpiece
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

a b
6000
6000

5000 5000

4000
Temprature(K)

Temprature(K)
4000
V=50v V=50v
3000 3000
V=65v V=65v

2000 V=80v 2000 V=80v

1000 1000

0 0
0 0.00005 0.0001 0.00015 0.0002 0.00025 0 0.00005 0.0001 0.00015 0.0002 0.00025
radius(m) Depth(m)

Fig. 5 Effect of pulse voltage on heat distribution: a across the radius of the workpiece, b in depth of the workpiece

the EDM process and sparks necessitates using Gaussian Since the heat flux is distributed on the surface, the
distribution for heat flux. The probability density function of energy incident on the workpiece is:
Gaussian distribution for a random variable r is given by
ZR ZR  2
Eq. 5 [22]: 00 00
Q0 e−4:5: R2 2πr dr
r
∮Qw ðrÞdA ¼ Qw ðrÞ 2πr dr→
1 r2
PðrÞ ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffi e− 2σ2 ð5Þ 0 0
σ 2π
¼ 0:2191π Q0 R 2
ð8Þ
The domain of distribution can be restricted to [−3σ, 3σ]
with high reliability [22], where σ is the standard deviation. The equation that was governed for heat flux should be
So, if we replace σ by R3, we have: equal with the power applied on the workpiece, so we can
 2 write:
3
PðrÞ ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffi e−4:5 R2
r
ð6Þ 4:57 F c VI
R 2π F c VI ¼ 0:2191π Q0 R2 →Q0 ¼ ð9Þ
πR2
Assuming P(r)=Q w" (r) and Q0 ¼ Rp3ffiffiffiffi
2π
, we can rewrite
Upon substitution of Eq. 9 into Eq. 7, the final equation
Eq. 6 as the following, where Q0 is the maximum intensity for the heat flux will be:
of heat applied at the center of the workpiece:
 2
 2 00 4:57 F c VI −4:5 r
00 −4:5 r 2 Q w ðr Þ ¼ e R2 ð10Þ
Q w ðr Þ ¼ Q 0 e R ð7Þ πR2

a b 10000
10000
9000 9000

8000 8000

7000 Ton=25 7000

Ton=25
Temprature(K)
Temprature(K)

6000 microsecond 6000 microsecond

Ton=50 Ton=50
5000 microsecond 5000 microsecond
Ton=100 Ton=100
4000 microsecond 4000
microsecond
Ton=300 Ton=300
3000 3000
microsecond microsecond
2000 Ton=500 2000 Ton=500
microsecond microsecond
1000 1000
0 0
0 0.0001 0.0002 0.0003 0.0004 0.0005 0 0.0001 0.0002 0.0003
radius(m) Depth(m)

Fig. 6 Effect of pulse on-time on heat distribution: a across the radius of the workpiece, b in depth of the workpiece
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Fig. 7 Interactive effect of pulse current and pulse on-time on heat distribution: a across the radius of the workpiece, b in depth of the workpiece

where Fc is the percentage of energy absorbed by the denoted by Fc. A few investigations have been done to
workpiece (cathode), V (V) is the discharge voltage, and precisely determine Fc values. For instance, Dibitonto et
I (A) is the discharge current. al. [8] performed EDM simulations in various operating
conditions, and by comparing the experimental and analyt-
2.7 Energy distribution factor (Fc) ical results, they arrived at an Fc value of 0.183, where the
best correlation between analytical and experimental results
When the discharge takes place between two electrodes, a has been attained. Shanker et al. [11] arrived at a conclusion
large amount of energy is released, but only a fraction of this that about 40–45 % of the heat input is absorbed by the
energy is absorbed by the workpiece and the rest is utilized workpiece. However, all of the calculations were made
to ionize dielectric liquid or melt and vaporize the tool using water as the dielectric fluid. Since the capability of
specimen (anode). The percent of energy absorbed by the materials in absorbing energy is different, these values can-
workpiece is called energy distribution factor, and it is not be generalized. One of the main goals of this study is to

a b
X coordinates
0.00E+00
1.0E-05 2.0E-05 3.0E-05 4.0E-05
-2.00E-06

-4.00E-06

-6.00E-06
Y coordinates

-8.00E-06

-1.00E-05

-1.20E-05

-1.40E-05

-1.60E-05

-1.80E-05

Fig. 8 a 3D shape of predicted crater. b Isothermal melt line of AISI H13 tool steel
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

a b
1.20E-04
3.00E-05
1.00E-04
2.50E-05
crater width(m)

crater depth(m)
8.00E-05
2.00E-05

6.00E-05 50 v 1.50E-05 50 v
65v 65 v
4.00E-05 1.00E-05
80 v 80 v
2.00E-05 5.00E-06

0.00E+00 0.00E+00
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
current(A) current(A)

Fig. 9 Effect of pulse current and voltage on crater size: a on crater width, b on crater depth

obtain a true value of Fc for AISI H13 tool steel, which is 

C pef f ¼ C p þ LH ; ΔT ¼ T m −T 0
ΔT
ð12Þ
known as the workhorse of die and mold industries.

Thermal properties of AISI H13 tool steel are shown in
In these equations, LH kgJ , is the latent heat of fusion ,
Table 1.
Tm is the melting temperature of AISI H13 tool steel, and T0
2.8 Phase change is the dielectric temperature at the beginning of the machin-
ing process. Because of the high pressure during heating in
Energy released during discharge generates enough heat to plasma channel, very little amount of material evaporates, so
melt and even vaporize the workpiece, so the latent heat we can neglect the phase change of liquid to vapor [10, 12,
changes during martensitic transformation and solidification 13, 17, 25–27].
take place over finite temperature intervals and can be
presented by an equivalent temperature
 distribution of free
3 Solution methodologies
enthalpy. Since the enthalpy H kgJ and heat capacity C

J The differential equation with boundary and initial condi-
kg K are related by Eq. 11, the latent heat effects of the
phase changes can be incorporated in the form of an equiv- tions outlined earlier was solved by FEM method.
alent increase of the heat capacity in the form of Eq. 12: Equations 13 to 23 show the methodology and procedure
of solving Fourier heat conduction equation (Eq. 1) by FEM
ZT 2 method. Using the general procedure, the total volume of
ΔH ðT Þ ¼ C ðT ÞdT ð11Þ the axisymmetric domain is discretized into finite elements.
T1 In each element, the temperature distribution (Te ) is

a 2.00E-04
b 4.50E-05

1.80E-04 4.00E-05
1.60E-04 3.50E-05
crater depth (m)

1.40E-04
crater width (m)

3.00E-05
1.20E-04
2.50E-05
1.00E-04
2.00E-05
8.00E-05
1.50E-05
6.00E-05
4.00E-05 1.00E-05

2.00E-05 5.00E-06

0.00E+00 0.00E+00
0 200 400 600 800 0 200 400 600 800
Ton (µs) Ton (µs)

Fig. 10 Effect of pulse on-time on crater size: a on crater width, b on crater depth
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

60 where M is the number of nodes in an element. The inter-

50
50-60 polation functions vary with radial coordinate r and axial
40-50 coordinate Z. Application of Galerkin's method using Eq. 14
40 30-40 yields the residual equation (Eq. 15):
PFE %

30 20-30
10-20
20 ∭N i Re dV ¼ 0; i ¼ 1; M
0-10
10 24

 ð14Þ
1 ∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T
0 16 Current (A) R ¼
e
kr þ k −ρ C p
12.5
r ∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂t
25
50 8
Ton (µs) 100



 
∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T
Fig. 11 Effect of pulse on-time and pulse current on PFE 2π∬N i k r þk r −ρ r C p drdz
∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂t
expressed in terms of the nodal temperatures (Ti) and inter- ¼ 0; i ¼ 1; M ð15Þ
polation functions (Ni) as:
X
M
T e ðx; yÞ ¼ N i ðx; yÞT i ¼ ½N ½T  ð13Þ Applying chain rule of differentiation (Eq. 16 and 17),
i¼1 one can rewrite Eq. 15 like Eq. 18:





∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T ∂N i ∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T ∂N i
rN i ¼ Ni r þr →N i r ¼ rN i −r ð16Þ
∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r ∂r





∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T ∂N i ∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T ∂N i
rN i ¼ Ni r þr →N i r ¼ rN i −r ð17Þ
∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z ∂z




∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T ∂T ∂N i ∂T ∂N i
2π∬k rN i þ rN i drdz−2π∬k þ drdz
∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ð18Þ
∂T
− 2 π ∬N i rρ cp drdz ¼ 0
∂t

Fig. 12 Compression of MRR

between our model and
Dibitono's model
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Table 3 Results for theoretical MRR


Machining condition mm3
Theoretical MRR min

Experiment number I (A) V (v) Ton (μs) Toff (μs) P (W) PFE% Fc =0.18 Fc =0.15 Fc =0.1 Fc =0.05

1 5 80 10 10 200 28.708 14.891 10.662 6.167 2.451

2 5 80 25 10 285.71 20.686 38.925 25.255 15.572 4.676
3 10 80 25 10 571.42 34.757 53.885 42.216 26.081 13.829
4 15 80 50 10 1,000 36.920 126.062 92.269 55.228 27.38
5 20 80 100 10 1,454.54 36.850 215.277 146.86 84.490 50.764
6 25 80 150 10 1,875 37.835 280.438 244.340 120.793 57.450
7 30 80 200 10 2,285.71 38.973 348.576 253.876 170.065 70.546
8 35 80 300 10 2,709.67 38.671 491.463 366.561 186.487 106.482
9 40 80 450 10 3,130.43 37.986 572.599 407.784 257.005 128.766

The first integrand on the left-hand side of Eq. 18 is a function, respectively, Eq. 20 can be rewritten in the follow-
perfect differential in two dimensions, and the Green–Gauss ing form:
theorem can be applied to obtain Eq. 19:
h i h in  o n o
 00
 k ðeÞ fT g þ cðeÞ T ¼ f ðgeÞ
∂T ∂N i ∂T ∂N i
−2π∮ qs ns rN i ds ¼ 2π∬k þ drdz h i
T

T
!
∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ðeÞ ∂N ∂N ∂N ∂N
k ¼ 2π∬k þ drdz
∂T ∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z ð21Þ
þ 2π∬N i rρcp drdz ð19Þ h i
∂t c ð eÞ T
¼ 2π∬rρcp ½N  ½N drdz
n o
where q "s is the heat flux entering the surface of the element 00
f ðgeÞ ¼ −2π∮qs ns ½N T rdS
and ns is the normal vector of the surface.
Upon substituting Eq. 13 into Eq. 19, we will have:
! Note that boundary gradient components are incorporat-

T


T

∂N∂N ∂N ∂N ed in the forcing function. Equation 21 is an ordinary first-
2π∬k fT g þ fT g drdz order differential equation and has not been converted to an
∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z
  00 ð20Þ algebraic one yet. So, we make use of finite difference
̇
T T
þ2π∬rρcp ½N  ½N  T drdz ¼ −2π∮ qs ns r½N  ds method to discretize the time:

h i h i fT ðt þ ΔT Þg−fT ðt Þg n o
By defining [ k(e)] , [c(e)], and {f g(e)} as element conduc- k ðeÞ fT ðt Þg þ cðeÞ ¼ f ðgeÞ ðt Þ ð22Þ
tance matrix, capacitance matrix, and element forcing Δt

Fig. 13 Workpiece and tool specimens used in ED machining

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Fig. 14 a EDM machine used

for machining. b Machined a
workpieces b

If the nodal temperatures are known at time t and the 4 Effect of EDM parameters on heat distribution
forcing functions are evaluated at time t, Eq. 22 can be
solved, algebraically, for the nodal temperatures at time t+ In order to determine the effect of EDM parameters on heat
Δt. Denoting the time at the ith time step as ti =i(Δt),i=1,2, distribution in the cathode, several machining parameters
… , we can obtain: with different levels were selected as shown in Table 2.
h i h i Figure 4a, b illustrates the effect of pulse current on heat
cðeÞ fT ðt iþ1 Þg ¼ cðeÞ fT ðt i Þg−½k fT ðt i ÞgΔt distribution across the radius and through the depth of the
workpiece for θ=0°, respectively. As shown in Fig. 4a, in-
n o
þ f ðgeÞ ðt i Þ Δt ð23Þ creasing the pulse current raises the temperature on the work-
piece surface. This is because energy densities of pulses soar
with an increase in the current. We can also conclude from this
To predict the temperature distribution at the end of each figure that increasing the current enlarges the area affected by
transient heat transfer cycle, ANSYS finite element code the heat flux, which can be explained by the growth of the
was used. Figure 3 illustrates the heat distribution on the plasma channel's radius. Figure 4b shows the effect of pulse
model for EDM parameters of pulse on-time=100 μs, dis- current on temperature distribution through the depth of the
charge current=10 A, and discharge voltage=80 V. The workpiece (cathode). It is evident that larger values of current
following steps were taken to evaluate the heat distribution produce higher temperatures in the workpiece.
on the workpiece: Figure 5a, b illustrates the effect of pulse voltage on heat
distribution across the radius and through the depth of the
1. The primary value for energy distribution was set as workpiece in θ=0°, respectively. As shown, raising the
0.183, and the heat flux and spark radius were calculat- pulse voltage increases the temperature in both directions,
ed based on this value and machining conditions. but it cannot enlarge the heat-affected zone on the surface of
2. AISI H13 tool steel thermal characteristics such as the workpiece since the radius of the plasma is independent
density, specific heat, and conductivity were defined. of pulse voltage due to Hashiguchi's equation [18].
3. Geometry of the model was created. Since the model is
axisymmetric, a two-dimensional 0.6×0.6 mm geome-
try was defined. Table 4 Experimental test conditions
4. Discretization of the domain has been done by mapped Generator type Iso-pulse
meshing technique using four node axisymmetric thermal Dielectric fluid Oil flux ELF2
solid element (PLANE55), and finer mesh was applied on Flushing type Normal flushing
the area which is affected by the heat flux (top left corner). Power supply voltage (V) 200
5. Heat flux and boundary conditions were applied on the Reference voltage (V) 80
model, and initial condition was set as the dielectric Pulse current (A) 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40
temperature. Polarity Positive
6. Pulse on-time was defined as a time step, and this Pulse on-time (μs) 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 300, 450
interval was discretized to 100 substeps. Pulse off-time (μs) 10
7. Transient thermal analysis was carried out, and isother- Tool material Commercial pure copper
mal lines were extracted.
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Table 5 Results for experimen- 

tal MRR Experiment I (A) V (v) Ton (μs) Toff (μs) P (W) M1 (g) M2 (g) mm3
MRRexp min
number

1 5 80 10 10 200 58.876 58.678 1.269

2 5 80 25 10 285.71 58.906 58.604 1.935
3 10 80 25 10 571.42 58.800 57.224 10.102
4 15 80 50 10 1,000 58.940 55.138 24.371
5 20 80 100 10 1,454.54 58.820 51.976 43.871
6 25 80 150 10 1,875 58.906 50.536 53.653
7 30 80 200 10 2,285.71 58.973 48.572 66.673
8 35 80 300 10 2,709.67 58.770 41.369 111.544
9 40 80 450 10 3,130.43 58.933 29.317 190.230

The effect of pulse on-time on heat distribution is increasing the pulse duration from 100 to 300 μs, temperature
depicted in Fig. 6. Since the time for heat transfer increases diminishes from 3,900 to 2,500 K in the center of the workpiece
by increasing pulse on-time, temperature and gradient of (r=0), which shows the reduction of about 35 % and “tp”
heat loss diminish in the workpiece and cause enlargement occurring at r=30 μm. Using the same procedure and assuming
of the heat-affected zone. However, this can also be de- a value of 20 A for current, it can be observed that the temper-
scribed by the growth of the radius of the plasma channel ature decreases from 5,700 to 3,800 K in the center of the
with increase of pulse on-time values. workpiece by increasing the pulse duration from 100 to
Figure 7a demonstrates the heat distribution across the radius 300 μs, which shows the reduction of 33 %; in this case, “tp”
for θ=0°. This figure is the combination of Figs. 4a and 6a for occurs at r=60 μm, which is twice larger than the previous
some machining conditions. It is clear from the figure that for a case. Hence, by comparing the two cases, it can be concluded
constant value of current, any increase in the pulse duration that increasing the pulse current elevates the radius equal to “tp”
decreases the temperature along the surface of the workpiece, and decreases the heat loss in the center of the workpiece,
and as described earlier, it is because of increasing the duration which happened by increasing the pulse duration.
of heat loss. On the other hand, increasing the pulse duration By investigating the effect of pulse current on heat distri-
also decreases the gradient of heat loss since the area affected by bution and assuming a constant value for pulse duration, it can
the heat flux increases. So, a point emerges on the graphs in be recognized that in the pulse duration of 100 μs, increasing
which the situation is reversed, and by increasing the pulse the current from 5 to 20 A raises the temperature from 3,900 to
duration, the temperature rises, which has been shown by “tp”. 5700 K in the center of the plasma channel (r=0), which
For example, assuming a current of 5 A, it can be seen that by shows 46 % increase. Repeating the same methodology for a

Fig. 15 Compression between

our own theoretical and
experimental MRR
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Fig. 16 Compression of MRR

between our own model and
Joshi's model

pulse duration of 300 μs, it can be seen that the temperature Effects of EDM parameters (presented in Table 2) on the
rises from 2,500 to 3,800 K at r=0, which shows an increase shape and size of crater were also investigated. Figure 9a, b
of about 52 %. From the preceding discussion, it can be demonstrates the effect of pulse current and voltage on the
concluded that any increase in the current boosts the temper- radius and depth of crater, respectively. It is clear from these
ature on the surface of the workpiece and higher values of figures that increasing current and voltage enlarges the
pulse duration elevate the rate of temperature augmentation. radius and depth of crater, which is due to the soaring energy
Figure 7b illustrates heat distribution through the depth of density of pulses by increasing pulse current and voltage.
the workpiece for different machining conditions. It is clear Figure 10a, b shows the effect of pulse on-time on crater
from the figure that the variation of heat distribution shows a size for different values of pulse current for a constant pulse
similar trend to heat distribution across the radius of the voltage. In the low values of pulse on-time, crater radius
workpiece which was discussed earlier. However, the effect shows an increasing trend but converges to a constant value
of current on the location of “tp” is not substantial. as the time increases. Crater depth possesses a similar be-
havior for low values of time but attains a decreasing trend
as the value of time exceeds a certain critical value. These
5 MRR calculation trends extremely depend on the applied current and occur in
a higher level for large currents since the increase in pulse
5.1 Theoretical MRR current amplifies the discharge energy and plasma radius,
which leads to the enlargement of the area affected by the
The first step in computing theoretical MRR is the calcula- heat flux and thereby increase of the crater radius and depth.
tion of crater volume. Electric discharges cause localized The effect of pulse on-time on the crater size which was
melting of the workpiece. The molten material is washed described earlier might be attributed to the fact that higher
away by the dielectric fluid. The amount of material being discharge durations generate lower flux densities, leading to
washed away by the dielectric is influenced by PFE. The less heat conduction along the axial and radial (r–z)direction.
value of PFE depends on many parameters and is determined The second step in MRR calculations is to determine PFE.
empirically. PFE was initially set equal to unity, and the Theoretically, it is not possible to calculate PFE due to the lack
temperature profiles obtained from FEM analysis were used of knowledge and engineering and analysis tools. Therefore,
to calculate the amount of material removed from the work- experiment-based techniques are required to come up with a
piece. In order to model the crater shape, element birth and
death technique was used, and the model was updated ex-
Table 6 Factors and their levels
cluding those elements whose temperature rose above the
melting temperature for AISI H13 tool steel (1,727 K). Levels Current Pulse on-time Voltage Duty cycle
Figure 8a illustrates the 3D shape of the crater. (A) (I) (μs) (Ton) (V) (V) (%)
To calculate the crater volume, isothermal melt line of H13
−1 5 25 50 50
tool steel (1,727 K) was plotted, which is shown in Fig. 8b,
0 10 50 65 65
and by revolving it around the Yaxis, we were able to calculate
1 20 100 80 80
the crater volume.
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Fig. 17 Main effect plots for

MRR
a b

Mean of MRR
c d

Mean of MRR

solution to PFE calculations. The application of these tech- workpiece specimen before and after machining (kg), ρ is
 
niques demands for on-line acquisition, recording, and the workpiece density in room temperature mkg3 , and Nnp is
counting of various pulse forms, i.e., normal, arc, open, and the number of normal discharges.
short circuiting case. So, an oscilloscope of storage type and an MRR is defined as the ratio of volume removed from the
in-house-developed electronic circuit have been implemented  3
workpiece per pulse duration, so theoretical MRR mm min
to capture the time history of gap voltage and current. NI-
LABVIEW program was implemented for data acquisition reads as:
and storage. The recorded data have been transferred into the
V th  PFE
developed MATLAB code to calculate the number of different MRRT ¼ ð26Þ
T on þ T off
kinds of pulses based on pulse ignition time, and then Eqs. 24
and 25 were used to compute PFE. In order to investigate the where Ton is pulse on-time (min) and Toff is the discharge
effect of process parameters on PFE, parametric studies were off- time (min).
carried out and variations of PFE versus pulse current and pulse
on-time were recorded, which are illustrated in Fig. 11.
6 Model validation
V exp
PFE ¼  100 ð24Þ
V th In order to verify the theoretical MRR, the experimental results
V exp ¼ M 1 −M 2 =ρ  N np ð25Þ of Dibitonto et al. [8] have been used. As shown in Fig. 12, the
proposed model predicts results closer to experimental data for a
In these equations, Vth is the crater volume calculated in wide range of discharge powers up to 1,100 W. It is clear from
the previous section, M 1 and M 2 denote the mass of the figure that applying the effect of phase change and latent heat

Fig. 18 a Surface plot for

MRR versus pulse current and
voltage. b Surface plot for
MRR versus pulse voltage and
duty cycle
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

Table 7 ANOVA table for factors EDM process. Figure 13 shows the work and tool specimens and
Estimated regression coefficients for MRR their dimensions. Experiments were conducted on the die sinking
EDM machine ELECTRONICA-ELECTRAPULSE PS
Term Coefficient SE coefficient T P 50ZNC, as shown in Fig. 14a. The discharge power levels were
Constant 42.5350 1.2277 34.646 0.000 varied between 220 and 3,169 W during machining by setting
I 32.5037 0.6139 52.950 0.000 appropriate process parameters (current, pulse on-time, discharge
Ton −6.0820 0.6139 −9.908 0.000 voltage, and pulse off-time) on the machine. EDM-processed
Duty cycle 9.5128 0.6139 15.497 0.000 workpieces are illustrated in Fig. 14b, and EDM parameters are
V 13.6179 0.6139 22.184 0.000 listed in Table 4.
I*I 11.5599 0.9208 12.554 0.000 Precise determination of the removed material from the
Ton*Ton −9.8656 0.9208 −10.714 0.000 workpiece is essential to calculate the experimental MRR.
Duty cycle*duty cycle 0.5433 0.9208 0.590 0.566 Therefore, a digital balance with a resolution of 0.001 gr
V*V 0.5433 0.9208 0.618 0.548 was used for weighing workpieces before and after EDM,
I*Ton −2.1690 1.0632 −2.040 0.064 and the amount of removed material was recorded; then,
I*duty cycle 8.0105 1.0632 7.534 0.000 Eq. 27 was used to calculate the experimental MRR:
I*V 8.1070 1.0632 7.625 0.000 MRRexp ¼ ðM 1 −M 2 Þ=ρ  t ð27Þ
Ton*duty cycle −1.4338 1.0632 −1.348 0.202
Ton *V 0.5432 1.0632 0.511 0.619
In this equation, M1and M2 are the mass of workpiece
Duty cycle*V 3.3100 1.0632 3.113 0.009
before and after EDM, respectively, and t is the machining
S=2.12645, PRESS=312.547, R2 =99.71 %, R2 (pred)=98.35 %, R2 time (20 min in this study). Results for experimental MRR
(adj)=99.38 % are shown in Table 5.

of fusion has a considerable effect on the results and makes them 6.2 Comparison between theoretical and experimental MRR
closer to the experimental data. For higher values of discharge
powers (>1,100 W), the proposed model underestimates the Figure 15 shows the comparison of the MRR observed during
MRR. This is possibly because an equivalent spark radius equa- the experiments and the values predicted with the proposed
tion given by Ikai and Hashiguchi [18] which has been used in thermo-physical model. It is clear that a suitable convergence
the present work, is not valid for the very high discharge powers. between the mentioned data is achieved when Fc is considered
The comparison process described earlier ensures the ac- as 5 %. Since the capability of materials in absorbing energy is
curacy of the analysis; MRR simulation on AISI H13 tool different, the value of 0.183, which was reported by Dibitonto
steel can be confidently used to precisely determine the energy [8] and used in many other studies, cannot be used for AISI
distribution factor for this common material. Results for the- H13 tool steel. Determination of an exact value for Fc, apply-
oretical MRR in different machining conditions and different ing PFE and latent heat of fusion, made the proposed model
Fc values for H13 tool steel are shown in Table 3. more realistic. As mentioned earlier the proposed model is not
valid for higher range of discharge powers, so the convergence
6.1 Experimental studies for model validation between experimental and theoretical data continues up to
2,000 W and beyond this value their tendency changes.
Prior to EDM, the workpiece (AISI H13 tool steel) was cut in In order to check the accuracy of calculated values of Fc,
cylindrical shapes. Specimens were hardened, and their hardness the calculated theoretical MRR is collated with the data
increased up to 60 HRC. They were ground and prepared for the reported in the literature. Since simulation of MRR on H13

Table 8 ANOVA table for

updated regression analysis Analysis of variance for MRR

Source DF SEq SS Adj SS Adj MS F P

Regression 9 18,836.1 18,836.1 2,092.9 418.78 0.000

Linear 4 16,433.0 16,433.0 4,108.3 822.04 0.000
Square 2 1,839.7 1,839.7 919.8 184.05 0.000
Residual error 17 85.0 85.0 5.0 – –
Lack of fit 15 85.0 85.0 5.7 – –
DF degree of freedom, SS sum Pure error 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 – –
of square, MS mean square, F F- Total 26 1,8921.0 – – – –
value, P P-value
 Int J Adv Manuf Technol

tool steel has no longer been conducted and there is no data for This tendency was expected in advance as the use of more
theoretical MRR in the literature for H13 tool steel, we have energetic pulses produces surface craters of greater size, and
verified the veracity of our results with Joshi's [16] outputs, therefore MRR will increase.
who carried out a MRR study on AISI P20 mold steel that has Duty cycle is another important factor that can affect MRR.
similar thermal and mechanical properties to AISI H13. It is defined as the ratio of pulse on-time to total spark time and
Comparison between calculated MRR and those obtained indicates the number of sparks that take place in the process.
by Joshi [16] has been shown in Fig. 16. As is clear from the Figure 17c illustrates that when the duty cycle values go up,
figure, the proposed model predicts MRR closer to the MRR monotonically soars as the number of sparks increase.
experimental data either with or without considering PFE The last factor that is considered in this study for investigation
when compared with the one reported by Joshi et al. [16] for of MRR is the pulse on-time. As illustrated in Fig. 17d, MRR
a wide range of discharge power levels. initially increases with pulse on-time, reaches a maximum
value, and then starts to diminish. That is because the plasma
channel gradually expands from time to time and energy density
7 Parametric studies on MRR decreases. These trends for MRR are the same with the results
of Puertas et al. [24], who reported the experimental method.
After verification of the proposed model, it was decided to In Fig. 18a, the estimated response surface of MRR versus
investigate the effect of EDM parameters on the MRR. The discharge current and discharge voltage is shown. As men-
DOE technique has been used as a powerful tool which tioned earlier, MRR increases when both factors increase
allows to model and analyze the influence of determined within the work interval considered for this study. Finally, in
process variables over other specified variables, which are Fig. 18b, the estimated response surface of MRR in function
usually known as response variables [21]. of discharge voltage and duty cycle is depicted. The interac-
Table 6 shows the selected variables and their levels. These tion between these factors can be clearly appreciated.
levels were selected in a way to restrict discharge power not to
exceed 2,000 W as the model loses its accuracy beyond this 7.2 Regression model
value. RSM was employed and the main effects for MRR were
plotted. Estimated response surface of MRR was also presented A quadratic polynomial regression model in terms of factors
to illustrate how MRR changes with process parameters. was proposed for MRR, which is shown in Eq. 28:
MRR ¼ 45:535 þ 32:503 I−6:082 T on þ 9:512 duty cycle þ 13:617 V
7.1 Main effects and estimated response surfaces for MRR þ 11:559 I  I − 2:1690 I  T on þ 8:010 I  duty cycle
þ 8:107 I  V − 9:865 T on  T on − 1:433 T on  duty cycle
þ 0:5432 T on  V þ 0:543 duty cycle  duty cycle
Figure 17a–d shows the main effect plots for the MRR. It
þ 3:310 duty cycle  V þ 0:5433 V  V
should be mentioned that these plots illustrate the mean
values versus factor levels. Based on these plots, the effect ð28Þ
2
of each factor can be determined. As can be seen in Fig. 17a, Values of 0.9971 and 0.9938 were obtained for R and
2
b, MRR increases when pulse current and voltage increase. R adj statistics, respectively. R2 and R adj
2
are powerful tools to

Fig. 19 a Plot of residuals

versus fits. b Plot of residuals
versus order of the data. c
Normal plot of residuals. d
Histogram for residuals
Int J Adv Manuf Technol

evaluate the accuracy of regression models. Both values The main results of this work can be summarized as
indicate that the presented model fits the data very well. follows:
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for regression
& Energy distribution factor for the cathode (AISI H13) is
model to identify significant factors. ANOVA table is shown
calculated as 5 %.
in Table 7. For the confidence level of 95 %, factors with a
& The presented model loses its accuracy for discharge
P-value of more than 5 % would not have a significant effect
powers of more than 2,000 W, so this model is well
in the model. Thus, insignificant factors were removed from it
suited for finishing EDM operations.
to simplify the model, and finally the updated regression
& Parametric studies on MRR showed that an increase in
model was obtained, which is shown in Eq. 29.
current, voltage, and duty cycle values boosts MRR, but
MRR ¼ 43:277 þ 32:504 I−6:082 T on þ 9:513 duty cycle þ 13:618 V by increasing pulse on-time, MRR initially increases
þ11:282 I  I þ 8:011 I  duty cycle þ 8:107 I  V until a maximum value and then starts to diminish.
−10:144 T on  T on þ 3:310 duty cycle  V & Analysis of variance conducted on factors revealed that
ð29Þ second-order effects of duty cycle and voltage and in-
teractions of current and pulse on-time, pulse on-time,
R2 and R adj
2
were obtained as 0.9955 and 0.9931 for the
and duty cycle and pulse on-time and discharge voltage
updated model, respectively.
do not have a significant effect in the model and can be
The analysis of variance for the updated regression model
neglected.
is shown in Table 8. The p-value for the regression model
& Inspection of R2 and Radj2 statistics and residuals showed
shows that the model is significant at a-level of 0.05.
that a second-order regression model is an appropriate
Model adequacy was also checked by means of plot of
model for the MRR.
residuals versus fits, plot of residuals versus order of the
data, normal plot of residuals, and histogram for residuals.
Figure 19a shows the plot of residuals versus fits. It is
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