Modelling and Analysis of Change in Shape of sintered Cu–TiC tool tip during Electrical Discharge Machining process

Electrode wear is a major problem in electrical discharge machining process. Due to electrode wear during machining, the required geometrical dimensions and form of the electrode are not reproduced on the workpiece. In the present study, change in shape of the copper–titanium carbide tooltip during the electrical discharge machining of hardened EN31 steel workpiece has been carried out at different processing conditions. The process parameters selected for the study are peak current, pulse on time, pulse off time, gap voltage and dielectric flushing pressure. Buckingham’s dimensional analysis has been used to model the change in shape, and the required coefficients are calculated based on the experimental data. The physical and electrical properties chosen for the study are density of the material, thermal conductivity, hardness, electrical resistivity and linear thermal expansion coefficient. The developed empirical model based on dimensional analysis has been validated and was found to be in good agreement with experimental findings.