Investigation of a Liquid-Phase Electrode for Micro-Electro-Discharge Machining
Micro-electro-discharge machining (μEDM) plays a significant role in miniaturization. Complex electrode manufacturing and a high wear ratio are bottlenecks for μEDM and seriously restrict the manufacturing of microcomponents. To solve the electrode problems in traditional EDM, a µEDM method using liquid metal as the machining electrode was developed. Briefly, a liquid-metal tip was suspended at the end of a capillary nozzle and used as the discharge electrode for sparking the workpiece and removing workpiece material. During discharge, the liquid electrode was continuously supplied to the nozzle to eliminate the effects of liquid consumption on the erosion process. The forming process of a liquid-metal electrode tip and the influence of an applied external pressure and electric field on the electrode shape were theoretically analyzed. The effects of external pressure and electric field on the material removal rate (MRR), liquid-metal consumption rate (LMCR), and groove width were experimentally analyzed. Simulation results showed that the external pressure and electric field had a large influence on the electrode shape. Experimental results showed that the geometry and shape of the liquid-metal electrode could be controlled and constrained; furthermore, liquid consumption could be well compensated, which was very suitable for µEDM.
Other Information
Published in: Micromachines
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/mi11100935
Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 51975155,51475107).
Shenzhen Basic Research Program (JCYJ20170811160440239,JCYJ20200824082533001).
History
Language
- English
Publisher
MDPIPublication Year
- 2020
License statement
This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Institution affiliated with
- Hamad Bin Khalifa University
- College of Science and Engineering - HBKU