Study on Material Removal Rate of EDM in Deionized Water

Abstract

This paper describes that the material removal rate of the electrical discharge machining (EDM) is higher when deionized water is used as the working fluid than when EDM working oil is used. Influences of the electrode surface temperature, discharge energy distribution, carbon precipitation on anode surface, electrolysis, and reaction of oxidation on the difference in material removal rate between machining in water and in oil were investigated experimentally. It was concluded that the higher material removal rate using the deionized water is principally attributed to the oxidation of electrode materials with the oxygen generated through dissociation of water caused by the arc discharge.