Conventional Machining

This chapter focuses on AISI A2 material, its properties and composition. A brief explanation is provided about wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process, its process parameters and its various advantages and disadvantages. The knowledge of these will be beneficial in understanding the different effects of the process parameters of the WEDM on the response parameters.

1.5 NON-TRADITIONAL MACHINING

In Conventional machining or traditional machining the tool required is harder than the work piece to be machined. This tool is required to penetrate in the work piece to some extent in order to machine the work piece. In "traditional" or "conventional" machining processes, machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, drill presses, or

It was introduced in the late 1960s’, and has revolutionized the tool and die, mold, and metalworking industries. It is probably the most exciting and diversified machine tool developed for this industry in the last fifty years, and has numerous advantages to offer. In this process, there is no contact between work piece and electrode, thus materials of any hardness can be cut as long as they can conduct electricity. Whereas the wire does not touch the workpiece, so there is no physical pressure imparted on the workpiece and amount of clamping pressure required to hold the workpiece is minimal. Although electrical conductivity is an important factor in this type of machining, some techniques can be used to increase the efficiency in machining of low electrical conductive materials. The Spark Theory on a wire EDM is basically the same as that of the vertical EDM process. Many sparks can be observed at one time. This is because actual discharges can occur more than one hundred thousand times per second. The heat of each electrical spark, estimated at around 15,000° to 21,000° Fahrenheit. This process has been widely used in aerospace, nuclear and automotive industries, to machine precise, complex and irregular shapes in various difficult-to-machine electrically conductive materials. Recently, WEDM process is also being used to machine a wide variety of miniature and micro-parts in metals, alloys, sintered materials, cemented carbides, ceramics and silicon. These characteristics makes WEDM a process which has remained as a competitive and economical machining option fulfilling the demanding machining requirements imposed by the short product development cycles and the growing cost