Chapter 2

Tool Electrode Material and Tool Fabrication Techniques for Electrical Discharge Machining Process

Arminder Singh Walia, Vineet Srivastava, Vivek Jain and Amit Handa

Abstract

Electrical discharge machining is an advanced machining process used in the machining of hard materials and in die manufacturing industry. The main cost component in electrical discharge machining is the cost of the tool electrode. The conventionally used electrode material like copper and graphite has very low wear resistance, hence, wear out fast. Continuous efforts are being made to find electrode materials which have optimum value of electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and wear resistance. Composites of various combinations of material have been tried in search of alternative tool materials. The current study presents a review of different materials utilized for the manufacturing of composite electrodes for electrical discharge machining and their fabrication techniques. It has been observed that among the different electrode fabrication techniques available, powder metallurgy has shown very promising results.

Total Pages: 17-41 (25)

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