EDM machinability and frictional behavior of ZrO2-WC composites

Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2)-based composites with WC addition are demonstrated to be suitable for electrical discharge machining (EDM) in deionized water. ZrO2-based composites with 40 vol. % WC, obtained from distinctive WC powder sources, were produced in order to derive correlations between material removal rate (MRR), surface finish, wire EDM parameters and material properties. Dry reciprocating sliding experiments on wire-electrical discharge machined ZrO2-WC composite samples against WC-Co cemented carbide, performed using a pin-on-plate testing rig, revealed a significant influence of the microstructure of the secondary WC-phase on wire EDM behavior and frictional characteristics