Modelling and Experimental Investigation of HASTELLOY C-276 Using Electro Discharge Machining (Edm)

Abstract

Due to advance in technology there is continuous need of compact, intricate, complex size products by advance machining process for various industries and production sector. These requirements are motivation for development of various non-traditional machining processes, among various advances non-traditional machining process EDM (Electro discharge machining) is unique one. EDM removes material via thermal erosion through a plasma arc. The machining process performs by using a high frequency current (typically through a fine wire or some other electrode) to an electrically conductive workpiece. The electrode is maintained small gap from the workpiece and the potential difference is applied through an insulating dielectric material such as deionized water, kerosene or oil. This short span supply of current generates a spark across the small gap between the electrode and workpiece, due to which material has melted and vaporized from both the tool and workpiece surface. The EDM process is used only for electrically conductive materials. The EDM process is also used in aerospace industries to manufacture of various parts of aero engine. The aerospace material has very unique feature, it should very efficient to resist very high temperature, mechanical and chemical weakness. Aerospace parts generally uses nickel based super-alloys, which has very high strength, very tough material properties, corrosion resistance characteristic and has a quality of thermal confliction also well in various engineering applications. Due to very difficult in nature the machinability has been studied by many researchers on this nickel based materials. This project shows the modelling and experimental investigation of HASTELLOY C – 276 in EDM process. The aim of this project is to examine the effect of input variables on the responses during EDM machining. The input parameters such as current (Ip), voltage (Vg), Pulse on time (Ton) and duty cycle (DC) have significant influenced on responses such as material removal rate (MRR),tool wear rate (TWR),radius of over cut (ROC) and surface roughness (Ra). A full factorial design of experiment (DOE) approach with threelevel, four factorials has been used to conduct this experiment. Mini tab 16 software has used to perform the ANOVA analysis. A Simple and lenient 3D thermal modelling for temperature distribution and 3D MRR modelling for single spark has been done by applying finite element method (FEM), this modelling has been done by using ANSYS 14.5 software.