1

Heat Transfer and Electro Static Force Modeling for the Prediction of Crater Depth in Electro Discharge Machining
S.H.Ebrahim1, M.Ghoreishi2

Manufacturing Engineering Group, Mechanical Engineering Department, Khaje Nasir Toosi Univesity ,

Tehran, Iran

h_ebrahimi@sina.kntu.ac.ir

Abstract
The electro discharge machining (EDM) process provide one of the best alternatives, or sometimes the only alternative, to machining a growing number of high-strength and corrosion and wear-resistant material used in a broad spectrum of industries. In electro discharge machining (EDM), there are several process for material removing however melting is main process for material removal therefore EDM is basically a thermal process. Heat generated in discharge channel, melts end even evaporates the materials. However, for short pulses (discharge duration <5s) metal doesnt have enough time to become adequately heated and almost no melting take place, reported in experimental investigation. There are two important phenomena in each discharge heat transfer and electro static force. Electro static force acting important roles in short pulse however heat transfer has main role in long pulse. In this investigation, effect of two dimensional heat transfer model and electrostatic force has been combined and the 'crater depth' has been calculated. The present models can be used for both short pulses and long pulses hold in all working conditions. In the Electro thermal models which have already been presented for specifying heat transfer two Dimensional model has been utilized. However, regarding researches done, it has been proven that level of heat gained in different points in this model is less than its real amount and this leads to considerable mistake in both specifying yield stress which is related to heat and specifying melting point. Since using this method is based on physics, heat of different point is close to real point and its mistake is not significant which is confirmed by the experiments. Keywords: Electric discharge machining, Two Dimensional heat transfer model, electro static force

1- M.S student, Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, KNToosi university of Technology, Tehran, Iran. 2- Assistant professor, Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, KNToosi university of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Introduction

In the EDM process, material is eroded from the work piece by a series of discrete spark between a work piece and tool electrode immersed in liquid dielectric medium. EDM has been used effectively in machining hard, high-strength, and temperature resistance metals, and since there is no contact between two electrodes, slender and fragile tasks can be machined conveniently, making the process more versatile. During the discharge, the whole spark region is in the plasma state. The plasma consists of atoms dissociated into positive ion and electrons and is highly conducting. The ion density is nearly equal to the electron density and the plasma, to large extends, is electrically neutral. The ion and electrons move towards the cathode and anode and collision process takes places. Due to collision process heat generated in cathode/anode transfer in metal then melt process occurs. The voltage difference between the electrodes cannot be accommodate in neutral plasma region and sustain a potential gradient. This potential gradient creates electro static force on the cathode. In the Electro thermal models which have already been presented for specifying heat transfer two Dimensional heat transfer model has been utilized. However, regarding researches done, it has been proven that level of heat gained in different points in this model is less than its real amount and this leads to considerable mistake in both specifying yield stress which is related to heat and specifying melting point. Since using this method is based on physics, heat of different point is close to real point and its mistake is not significant which is confirmed by the experiments.

Two Dimensional Heat transfer Model

Heat, generated in the discharge channel melts and even evaporates the electrode materials. Part of this generated heat is consumed for heating the main electrode body. Since radiation losses from the discharge channel is negligibly small [], the total discharge energy can be assumed to be dissipated only at the electrodes. It is determined [] that the thickness of the layer in which heat is generated is is the rate of heat generation and ts is the pulse duration, then the total energy very small. If release is: (1) The general differential equation of heat conduction is [3]:

2T +

V 1 T = K t

(2)

In the above equation T=T(P,t) is the temperature at a position P and time t, and P is defined as (x,y,z) in rectangular coordinates, as (r,,z) and (r,,) in cylindrical and spherical coordinates respectively. K is the thermal conductivity and id the thermal diffusivity. The electrode material is assumed to be isotropic. V=V(T) represents the rate of heat generation per unit volume. For the problem under consideration V(T) is define as follows:

= 0 for T < Tm for any P = for T = T at P m m m m v = v(T ) = 0 for Tb > T > Tm for any P = e e for T = Tb at Pe

(3)

Where Pm and Pe are the positions of points which reached melting and evaporation temperature, m and e are the latent heats of melting and evaporation, m and e are mass densities at melting and boiling points. Initial condition of the problem is; T(P,0)=T0 and boundary conditions are; (4) BC 1 : T ( P , t ) = T
E o

Where PE is the outer dimensions of the electrode.

BC 2 : k1 (Tm )

T )1 P

P = Pm

k S (Tm )

T )S P

P = Pm

Pm t

(5)

T ) S P = Pm are the temperature gradients at liquid and solid P Pm is the rate of change of the melting boundary. Finally, sides of the melting boundaries and t = q (t ) for r < rS (t ) and 0 < t < t S T (6) BC 3 : K (T ) z =0 = z = 0 for r > rS (t ) at any t and for any r for t > t S
temperature Tm and
P = Pm

Where K1(Tm) and Ks(Tm) are thermal conductivities of liquid and solid materials at the melting

T )1 P

and

Solution of the problem formulated above should be very difficult if not impossible. If the variation of heat source radius with time is considered the radius has a steep increase first, and has a small slope for the rest of the spark time. This suggests that it may be assumed constant over the time for a heat transfer molding. A fixed circular heat source of radius rs , acting over a semiinfinite body melts and evaporates the material. We consider an infinite and a finite bar with circular source on the insulated ends. An analytical solution to the problem formulated above, can be found in Carslaw and Jaeger s [] heat transfer book, where the temperature distribution is given by the following integral equation. (7-1) Where:

z z 12 12 ( t ) exp ( z )erfc + ( t ) F = exp ( z )erfc 12 12 2( t ) 2 ( t )

(7-2)

The voltage difference between the electrodes (of the order 10 V) can not be accommodated in this neutral plasma region and a very thin sheath is formed near the negative electrode. The sheath has a charge imbalance and can sustain a potential gradient. This allows almost all the potential drop between the electrodes take places in this sheath. The whole plasma region can be considered as an equipotential region at potential p . The plasma potential is actually controlled by the positive electrode potential and differs only slightly from it. Therefore with respect to the plasma potential, the cathode (the negative electrode) is at the negative potential. In the present study the plasma potential is taken as the reference potential (zero potential). Because of this large potential drop in the thin sheath near the electrode, there is very strong electric field at the cathode. The field induces a negative charge on the cathode surface. The negative charge on the surface is pulled outwards by the field which lead to a stress distribution on the surface and in turn, inside the metal. The discharge also causes heating of the metal. Due to heating, the yield strength of the metal decreases and the metal yields easily to the stress acting on it. During the process, for short pulse, the metal does not have enough time to be heated, and the effect of temperature is not considerable for short pulses. However, for medium pulses (discharge duration between 5 and 100s), temperature plays an important role in decreasing the yield strength of the metal and hence, increasing the depth of the crater formed. In this case long pulse, the spark radius becomes very large and as a result, the stress acting on the surface becomes very small. Therefore the temperature becomes the key factor and the electro static force does not play a significant role. Assumptions 1. The electrode is a semi-infinite zone. 2. The spark is a uniform, circular heat source on the electrode surface and the diameter of this source remains constant. 3. Except for the yield strength, the properties of material do not change with temperature. 4. The rate of heat input remains constant throughout the discharge time. 5. The plasma region acquires the potential of the anode and the whole potential drop is in the sheath near the cathode and the plasma region near the sheath. The plasma potential is actually governed by the positive electrode potential and differs slightly from it [4]. 6. The metal yield at the end of the discharge. 7. In the spark channel, there is no variation in the potential, ion and electron densities and the ion velocity in the radial direction. The plasma region itself cannot accommodate the potential drop between the electrodes and a thin layer of charge is formed between the cathode and plasma. This layer is commonly termed as plasma sheath. Most of

Determination of the electro static force and its effect on the material removal rate 2

the potential drop takes place in the sheath. However, there is small potential in the plasma region as well and small pre-sheath electric field extends into the plasma. This pre-sheath electric field accelerates the ions such that when they inter the sheath, they acquire a drift velocity equal to the ion acoustic speed [4]. Plasma fluid equation is applied in the plasma region. The plasma fluid equation (this is very similar to the Navier-Stokes equation of fluids) in the one dimension, with the electrostatic force is [5]: V n d dV d (8) ( nV ) m i nV ( nkT i ) + enE + m iV min = m iV t t dx dx dx Where x is in the direction of the voltage gradient with the origin at reference point, taken at infinity (far away from the sheath) and n is the common density of ion and electrons, generally termed as plasma density: n = ni = ne , ne = electron density, ni = ion density, V = velocity of ions in x direction, mi = the mass of an ion, Ti = the ion temperature, K = Boltzmann s constant, e = the electric charge (1.6 * 10-19 Coulomb) = the total charge on an ion, E = the electric field at a point The equation of mass conservation is as follows: n d (9) + ( nV ) = S ( x ) t dx Where S is the volume source rate of ion pairs (ion pairs/m3/s). S can be, for instance, the local ionization of the neutral atoms and can also vary with x . Substituting Eq.(2) in the plasma fluid equation and considering isothermal and steady-state flow, we have dn V (10) = KT i + enE m iVS nm i V We have assumed the flow is isothermal i.e. the ion temperature is constant in the whole discharge region. The electrons being in a retarding field can be expressed by Boltzmann distribution: (11) ne ( x) = no exp[e / kTe ] = n( x) Where no is the reference electron density (or ion density) at infinity and Te is the electron temperature. From Eq.() d dn (12) enE = en = KT Where
x dx

dx

dx

is the potential at any point. So the final momentum equation can be written as

C 2 dn dV SV (13) = s dx n dx n Where C S = [(KT i + KT e ) m i ]1 2 is termed as the ion acoustic speed at the sheath/plasma interface. Taking M ( x ) = V ( x ) C S , with the ion acoustic speed as the normalizing speed and dividing Eq. (6) V
by C S , we have
M
2

Considering steady-state flow and taking M = V C s and solve above Eq. we have
(M ) = (

dM SM 1 dn = dx n d x nC s

(14)

At the sheath/plasma interface, M = 1 (V = C S ) . Therefore at the sheath/plasma interface, the ion density,

KT e KT e n(M ) ) ln( ) = ( ) ln( 1 + M e no e

(15)

n = n se =

potential at the sheath/plasma. The remaining potential drop is in the sheath. In this section the sheath region. Since the sheath thickness is very small, the ion formation in the sheath can be neglected. Also, it is assume that the ion temperature, Ti = 0 , so that all the ions have velocity Cs when they enter the sheath. This allows use of the momentum equation for individual particles inside the sheath. The momentum equation for individual particles is

1 KTe and the voltage, o = ln 2 . This plasma sheath analysis give us the 2 no e

m iV

dV d = eE = e dx dx

Or,

m iV

+ 2 e = cons tan t = 0

(16)

Where x is the direction of the voltage gradient with the origin at the sheath/plasma interface. The total energy is the same as that at the reference point and is equal to zero (at the reference point, the potential and the velocity of an ion are zero). At the sheath/plasma interface, the ion velocity is Cs. Now, the ion current density going into the wall is constant throughout the sheath

j + = eni ( x) V ( x) = ense C s
So, we get,

(17)

(18) Where nse = ion density = electron density at the sheath/plasma interface (inside the plasma, both ion and electron density are equal till the beginning of the sheath). The electron distribution in the sheath can be assumed to be the same as Boltzmann distribution. Using these ion and electron densities in Poissons equation e (19) 2 = (ni ne )

ni (x ) = n se [o ( x )]

12

d . To determine C, assuming Where E is the electric field at any point inside the sheath E = dx the boundary condition at the sheath/plasma interface, the electric field, E(0) =0 and the voltage = o . Solving the equation,

E 2 ( x) =

Substitution the cathode potential,

n se e { 2 o [ ( o ) 1 2 1] + ( KT e e )[exp ( e ( o ) KT e ) 1]}

(20)

simplifies to: e E 2 ( x) = n se e[ 2 ( W o ) 1 2 + 4 o ]

e(W o KTe ) is very large,

o

W . Now, since ( KTe e)[exp (e( o ) KTe ) can be neglected. The above equation
(21)

In equation (26) the second term is much smaller in comparison to the first term as the electrode potential, W is much larger than equation now becomes

o . Hence, the second term in the equation can be ignored. The

(22)

E 2 ( x) =

Now we determine stress in cathode is determined. Choosing a suitable surface and applying Gauss law,

o
q

n se e W o

E .ds =
s

(23)

Where q is the total charge enclosed. The surface charge density is 2 stress, = o E . Hence, from Eq. (2), Now applying Eq. (1) at the sheath/plasma interface,

oE

which results in a surface (24) (25)

= 4nse e(oW )1 2
j + = nse eC s

For large negative W

j + = j net = ( I R 2 )

the current due to the electrons is very small and the current due to the ions can be assumed to be equal to the net current [5]. Thus,

(26) Where R is the spark radius and I is the total current in the discharge. For I <13.5 A and the discharge duration (t d < 10 s ) , the spark radius R can be expressed as [7]:

R = Ro + kt

Where R o = 5 10 Substituting

= 2 2 ( I R 2 ) mi ( W e)1 2
The stress at any point A, with coordinates

C S = ( 2eo mi ) .
12

m , K = 3 10

m s and t = time after the formation of the spark.

(27)

( , z ) , due to a point force, P, on the surface is given by

(29)

(28)

z (r , z ) =

3 pz 3 2 ( z 2 + 2 ) 5 2

So, the stress at any point (r, z), inside the electrode, due to this circular distribution of stress, is R 2 3 z 3 r d d r (30) z (r , z ) = 2 2 ( z + r 2 + r 2 2 r r cos ) 5 2 0 0 The maximum stress is along r = 0, and can be found out using the equation (3), then 3 (R 2 ) 3 z3 (45) z (0, z) = [1 ] = [1 (1 + ( R z) 2 ) 3 2 ] = [1 (1 (R z) 2 )] for (R z) 2 << 1= 2 2 z 2 (z 2 + R 2 )3 Substituting obtained from Eq. (), we get
z (0, z ) =
3I 2 m i ( W e)

At r = 0,

(3), It can be seen that for (R Z ) << 1 , the stress at any point is independent of spark radius and the surface stress acts as a point force. Therefore, as the spark radius increases, the stress in the inner region remains unchanged as long as the spark radius is small compared to the crater depth, z. This happens in the case of short pulses where the spark radius always remains small compared to the crater depth. However, for long pulses, the spark radius becomes large after sometime and the stress in the region where yield takes place, depends the spark radius. As the spark radius R grows, the stress inside the metal remains constant in the initial part of the spark and starts decreasing when R becomes comparable to z. Therefore the yielding is likely to take place sometime during the discharge. yield stress is determined[8]. For yielding, the Von-Misses stress should be greater than the yield stress. yield stress must be determined at temperature inside the electrode at r = 0, at the end of the discharge. When yield stress is being determined crater depth can be calculated. Yielding occurs when the Von-Misses stress is more than the yield strength than we have
2

2 rz = 0 by symmetry. So the Von-Misses stress is = z2 + 3 rz = z (0, z ) . From Eq.

(31)

S y (0, z , td ) =

3I

2 m i ( W Z

e)

Or,

3 I 2 m i ( W e ) z= S y (0, z , t d )

1 2

(32)

Experimental results and comparison with theoretical prediction:

The EDM conditions in this experiment are listed in Table 1. The working oil is kerosene which is the stationary state. Polarity is mainly reversed; the electrode is the anode and the work piece is the cathode. The open-circuit voltage is about 300V, gap voltage is about 17V and gap length is about 200m [9].

Table 1: EDM conditions Peak current, ie (A) Pulse duration, te (s) Polarity straight Dielectric fluid

13 10-500 Reversed and Kerosene

The work piece was made of 18Cr8Ni stainless steel (JIS; SUS304). It was formed to have a cylindrical shape with 4mm diameter and 0.2mm thickness. We use of the bellow algorithm for calculating crater depth.

rs, P, K, 7-1

, , t, z 7-2 Sy I, mi, w

Superposition

Fig 1. algorithm for calculating crater depth

Fig. 2 shows the craters generated by impulse discharge in kerosene, under the condition that peak current is 13 A, pulse durations are 10, 40 and 80s, in the case of reversed polarity. Fig. 2 shows the crater profiles under the condition that peak current is 13 A, pulse durations are 10and 80s, in the case of reversed polarity. The theoretical crater depth prediction for 10s pulse duration is 16.63m and error is 13 percent, 40s is 2m and error is percent and in 80s is 4m and Error is 2 percent.

Conclusion:

The present models can be used for both short pulses and long pulses hold in all working conditions. In the Electro thermal models which have already been presented for specifying heat transfer two Dimensional model has been utilized. However, regarding researches done, it has been proven that level of heat gained in different points in this model is less than its real amount and this leads to considerable mistake in both specifying yield stress which is related to heat and specifying melting point. In this model, to alleviate the problem, widespread two Dimensional method to assign transferring the heat and the heat of different points. Since using this method is based on physics, heat of different point is close to real point and its mistake is not significant. In addition, there is no discrepancy between the results of this model with the practical experiments.

tc=10s

tc=40s

tc=80s

Fig. 2 Craters generated by impulse discharge in kerosene[9].

Fig. 3 Craters and profiles[9].

Reference
[1] Y. Uno, O. Endo, T. Nakajima, Fundamental aspect of the crater generation mechanism by a single pulse discharge, JSEME 25 (49) (1991) 9. [2] A. Erden Theoretical and experimental investigation on the electric discharge machining" Ph.D. Thesis, M.E.T.U Ankara (1977). [3] R. Snoeys and F. Van dyck " Investigations of electro discharge machining operations by means of thermo-mathematical model" C.I.R.P. general Assembly, 71p3, Poland, (1971). [4] F.H. Clauser, Symposium of Plasma Physics, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc, 1960. [5] D.E. Past ,R. Behrisch, Physics of Plasma-Wall Interactions in Controlled Fusion (NATO ASI Series), Series B, Phy vol. 131, Plenum Press, New York, 1986. [6] F.F. Chen, Introduction to Plasma Physics, Plenum Press, New York, 1974. [7] D. Dauns, R. Snoeys, On the derivation and application of a real-time tool wear sensor in EDM, CIRP Annal (1986) 35. [8]A. Ghosh, A.K. Mallik, Manufacturing Science, Affiliated EastWest Press, 1985. [9] Takeo Tamura, Yoshinobu Kobayashi, Measurement of impulsive forces and crater formation in impulse discharge, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 149 (2004) 212-216