STUDY OF ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING FOR TRUING OF DIAMOND GRINDING WHEEL Apiwat Muttamara Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University Pathumthani, Thailand Choosak Phumueang Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University Pathumthani, Thailand ABSTRACT This study deals with fundamental investigations are presented regarding the possibility of EDM for truing of metal bonded diamond grinding wheels. These wheels are often ed for precision grinding operations of hard glass materials like ceramics. They are characterized by high profile constancies and wear resistances. Due to the electrical conductivity of the bond material, EDM offers an efficient and powerful alternative to conventional trueing and dressing. Achievable grit protrion and possible thermal damage to smallest diamond grits are theoretically and experimentally examined. Additionally, machining strategies for high profile accuracy are presented. KEYWORDS Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), Metal Bond Diamond Grinding Wheel, Copper Tungsten, Electrical Pulse Shape, Diamond Grit. I. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, diamond grinding wheels are ed in many indtries. Becae of many advantages such as bonding strength, long life, wear-resistant ability and high grinding efficiency. So they are widely ed to machine difficult-to-cut materials such as engineering ceramics, optical glass and hard alloy. Due its high hardness, it is very difficult to true and dress diamond wheel. Wang proposed EDM dressing for abrasive grinding wheel[]. Klocke has done experiments on truing of diamond grinding wheels to investigate the effects of truing speed ratio, and diamond grit size in the grinding wheel on the wear of truing disk []. Several research scholars have tested that the single diamond dresser wears out very quickly and the wornout dresser cannot produce sufficient protrion of the cutting grain edges [ 5]. The electrical discharge machining EDM) process has been applied to generate the precise form on metal bond diamond wheels ing either the die-sink or wire EDM configurations [6 ]. II. BACKGROUND OF EDM TRUING Principle of EDM truing Principle of EDM trueing and dressing offers the advantages that no complex shaped electrode and no additional wear compensation are necessary. In a first assumption, the discharges of the EDM process mainly take place between the tool electrode and the electrically conductive metal bond material which therefore can be removed. The electrically not conductive diamond grits are not directly involved in the process and remain in the eroded zone. By sticking out of the surface a certain grit protrion can be achieved after the process. Due to the thermal material removal principle heat is locally applied to the grinding wheel surface and depending on the amount of heat conduction of the involved materials the fine diamond grains can be thermally damaged. III. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The experiments were conducted ing Mitsubishi Electric Automation (EA8 - ADVANCE SERIES). EDM normally is ed for many propose depend on operator for example roughing machining, low electrode wear rate, mirror finishing surface. In this study, normally, roughing machining is transistor pulse circuit (TP). By suppressing an electrode wear, super-low-wear circuit (SC) was ed. SC circuit may play important role for machining for high resistant material. Waveforms for TP and SC circuits are shown in Fig.. (a) TP Circuit
MRR (mm/min) Proceedings of International Conference on Mechanical and Production Engineering (b) SC Circuit Fig.. Waveform of EDM Circuits : (a) TP Circuit; (b) SC Circuit. The ed workpiece was a grinding wheel. Table shows characteristics of grinding wheel. An Electrode was copper tungsten (CuW). The diameter of the electrode was mm and a depth of cut was.5 mm. Negative polarity was selected for an electrode due to it gives more efficient than positive polarity for EDM truing [7,8]. Table Grinding wheel specifications Grinding wheel Column A (t) Grain Diamond Grit size # # Bond Diameter (mm) 5 Width (mm) 6 Concentration Metal bond The highest MRR is achieved at 5A of peak current and 6 µs of pulse on with value approximately.9 mm /min. Fig showed EWR ing TP and SC circuit. When increase discharge current, EWR was decreased. Normally, EWR relates to discharge energy and machining time. If higher discharge energy make much shorter machining time. The EWR may be reduced. When discharge current and 5 A with discharge duration 6 µs. Some debris were cumulative deposited on the electrode resulting in the electrode was longer than original length. Longer pulse duration tends to increase the possibility of debris deposition on the electrode surface.[] When compare the circuit that gives the highest MRR at 5A of peak current and 6µs. The SC circuit gives lower EWR, consequently SC circuit was selected for EDM the grinding wheel. However, the EDM process for truing not only need the highest MRR but also the profile after machining and the protrion of diamond tip from the material surface are also needed. The lowest discharge current was interesting, so the integrity of the surface were investigated. Fig. shows Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the differences in crater size for the short and long discharge pulse. EDMed surface with discharge current (I)=A, t e =6 µs was compared with t e =8 µs. When the discharge duration is long t e =8 µs, then the spark are more continue, as a result, a spread melted materials on the surface of the work piece are produced, hence the diamond grits are difficult to find comparing with the shorter pulse (Fig. a), some diamond grits are clearly seen on the surface. And this result confirms that a smaller current and smaller pulse duration should be adopted for EDM truing finishing []. a) TP circuit IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The EDM efficiency was considered by evaluating the Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Electrode Wear Ratio (EWR). Relationship between discharge current and MRR ing TP and SC circuit can be seen in Fig.. The experiment was set at discharge duration (t e )=6,, 6 µs, and Duty factor (DF) =5 %. Both TP and SC circuit are same trend. The MRR increased with increasing of discharge current due to the increases of the energy per pulse caes temperature raises sharply that leads to rapid melting of work piece material at sparking area. []. And also higher pulse duration increased MRR for all peak current ed. With a pulse duration at μs, the MRR start decreases when discharge current is more than A..5.5.5.5.5 te=6 te= te= 6 5 5 5
Wear Ratio (%) Wear Ratio (%) MRR (mm/min) Proceedings of International Conference on Mechanical and Production Engineering b) SC circuit.5.5.5.5.5 te=6 te= 5 5 Fig. Relationship between discharge current and on time to electrode wear ratio ing a) TP circuit and b)sc circuit. a) EDMed surface ing a) I=A, t e =6 µs.. Fig.. Relationship between discharge current and on time to material removal rate ing a) TP circuit and b)sc circuit. In order to confirm the diamond grit and investigate the elements for melted materials in Fig.. Fig.5 shows Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) of point and point in Fig.(a). b) EDMed surface ing I=A, t e =8 µs. a) TP circuit 9 8 7 6 5 5 5 b) SC circuit 6 5 - - te= 6 te= te= 6 te= 6 te= te= 6 5 5 Fig. EDMed surface ing a) I=A, t e =6 µs, compared with b) EDMed surface ing I=A, t e =8 µs. Results of EDS analysis showed that the material chemical compositions of diamond wheel surface are different in elements C, Cu, Sn and Co by weight. The element C weight percentage was found on diamond wheel surface after truing. At the point, carbon is clearly seen at the peak. This may be caed by high temperature in EDM and carbon in diamond may diffe or melt. 6
Point Point c) I=5A, t e =6 µs. Fig. 5 EDS analysis in Fig.(a) at point point. Fig.6 shows distance of the diamond tip and metal bonding surface. The figure shows side view for EDM dressing ing conditions finishing: I=A, t e =6 µs, semi-finishing: I=5A, t e =6 µs and roughing: I=5A, t e =6 µs. From the Fig.6, roughing gives the highest value of protrion of diamond tip:.55 mm followed by semi-finishing:. mm and finishing:. mm. a) I=A, t e =6 µs.55 Fig. 6 Protrion distance of EDM dressing for grain wheel ing a) I=A, t e =6 µs, b) I=5A, t e =6 µs and c) I=5A, t e =6 µs. b) I=5A, t e =6 µs A multi-edm grinding process is adapted to fabricate a diamond grinding wheel. Equipments such as an copper tungsten electrode bar, EDM machine and a spindle head are ed for EDM machining. The electrode bar of copper tungsten was cut to be desired profile. Fig.7 shows a schematic of the experiment. The diamond wheel was drived with spindle rpm. 7
For EDM truing, the highest high machining speed is required and smooth surface finish also is needed. Consequently, EDM dressing processers are made with distinguishing for rough machining, for semifinishing and for finishing. Fig.8 shows image of truing with rough, semi-finish and finish. Rough machining emphasizes machining speed. The process need to machine all surface. Table shows the EDM truing conditions. The experiments were carried out with conditions. Roughing was ed with discharge current 5 A and t e =6µs. The workpiece was fed toward the electrode. The machining time depended on profile curve of the workpiece or diamond wheel. For this step ed 5 minutes, wear electrode was µs. Semi finishing is designed as an intermediate step reduction between a rough electrode and a finish electrode. This step is required for forming a profile of the wheel s shape. We ed 5 minutes for this process and wear was 98 µm. Finishing attaches great importance to machining accuracy, machining surface roughness and protrion of diamond mt be generated. Finishing needs 5 minutes for this process and wear is 98 µm. Fig. 7 Schematic of the truing experiment TABLE EDM Conditions Process Parameters Machining time (min.) Rough I= 5A, t e =6 s. Semi Finish I= 5 A, t e =6 s. Finish I= A, t e =6 s. Wear ( m) 5 5 98 5 5 Fig. 8 Image of truing with rough, semi-finish and finishing. Fig.9 shows wheel profile before and after truing. Wheel profile has a profound effect on grinding performance as characterized by surface finish. In this study, the wheel profile after truing has been measured ing a profile meter. It can be seen that the variance between maximum and minimum in the curve is near to the original curve. Fig. 9 EDMed grinding wheel profile before and after truing. CONCLUSIONS. EDM truing can achieve on an abrasive grinding wheel while SC circuit gives material removal rate (MRR) quite same as TP circuit. But SC circuit gives electrode wear ratio less than that EDMed with TP circuit. 8. MRR increases with increasing of discharge current. And discharge current trend is same as discharge duration.
. Finishing process of EDM truing can be succeeded with I=A, t e =6 µs that give more protrion distance than EDMed surface ing I=A, t e =8 µs.. The truing accuracy of EDM truing can be accepted with profile of grinding wheel. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author thanks the research supporting grant from Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University and the National Research University Project of Thailand Office of Higher Education Commission. REFERENCES [] X. Wang, B. Ying, W. Liu, EDM Dressing of Fine Grain Super abrasive Grinding Wheel, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 6 (996), p.99-. [] Klocke F, Klink A, Kamenzky S (7) Electro Discharge Dressing of Fine Grained Metal Bonded Grinding Wheels, Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Electromachining, p.5 58. Conference on Nanomanufacturing (nanoman8), Singapore, July-6,8. [9] H. Ohmori, N.Ebizuka, S.Morita, et al., Ultraprecision micro-grinding of germanium immersion grating element for mid-infrared superdispersion spectrograph, CIRP Ann.Manuf.Technol.5()(), p.. [] B.Guo, Q.L.Zhao, H.N.Zhang, On-machine dry- EDM truing diamond wheel ed for ultrasonic vibration grinding of microstructures on SiC ceramic,in: Proceedings of the Epen Topical Meeting: Structured& Freeform Surfaces, Teddington, UK, December 5 6,. [] Y.Uehara, H.Ohmori, Y.Yamagata, et al., Microfabrication grinding by ultraprecision micro form generating machine employed with plasma discharge truing and ELID technique, RIKEN Rev.(), p.5 8. [] Kang S and Kim D,, Investigation of EDM characteristics of nickel-based heat resistant alloy Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 7(), p. 75-8. [] Aurich JC, Engmann J, Schueler GM, Haberland R (9) Micro Grinding Tool For Manufacture Of Complex Structures In Brittle Materials. Annals of CIRP 58(), p.. [] Heinzel C, Rickens K (9) Engineered Wheels For Grinding Of Optical Glass. Annals of CIRP 58(), p.5 8. [5] Ohmori H, Nakagawa T (99) Mirror Surface Grinding Of Silicon Wafers with Electrolytic In- Process Dressing, Annals of CIRP 9(), p.9. [6] B.K. Rhoney, A.J.Shih, R.O.Scatter good, Wire electrical discharge machining of metal bond diamond wheels for ceramic grinding, Int.J. Mach.Tools Manuf.()(), p.55 6. [7] J. Xie, H.F.Xie, M.J.Luo, et al., Dry electrocontact discharge mutual-wear truing of micro diamond wheel V-tip for precision microgrinding, Int.J.Mach.Tools Manuf.6(), p. 5. [8] Yoshida K., Ohmori H., Katahira K., et al., Ultraprecision ELID-grinding of SiC glass mold materials[c], Proceedings of the st International 9