EDM of aluminum alloy 6061 using graphite electrode using paraffin oil and distilled water as dielectric medium

EDM machining of Al 6061 was performed under varying conditions of pulse current and pulse duration. Graphite was used as an electrode material with distilled water and paraffin oil as two different dielectric mediums. The aim is to characterize the surface integrity produced as a result of EDM machining under both varying electrical and non-electrical parameters as it is important in determining the service life of EDM machined components. The vertical, horizontal and corner surfaces are studied independently for each single set of conditions. The average white layer thickness (AWLT) and surface roughness was found to be dependent on pulse current values and pulse duration. The dielectric medium also has an influence on the thickness and nature of white layer. It was found that the thickness and nature of the white layer formed from distilled water is different from that of paraffin oil. New methods of AWLT and surface roughness measurement through an optical microscope are described. The surface roughness method developed was calibrated against an identical surface roughness tester. Finally, material removal rate, tool wear rate, the presence of micro cracks, voids and globules were compared for different conditions and conclusions were drawn according to the actual physical conditions during machining