Wire EDM roughing and Wire ECM finishing of 316L stainless steel on a single platform–An investigation of the combined strategy on surface quality and precision

Abstract

This work investigates the combination of wire electrical discharge machining (Wire EDM) and wire electrochemical machining (Wire ECM) in a single medium to obtain good surface quality and dimensional accuracy without sacrificing productivity. The experimental setup is evaluated with respect to the deviations in the profile accuracy and surface roughness. The developed strategy is validated and findings suggest that Wire ECM requires an accurate starting contour, obtained by first preparing the surface using Wire EDM. Results indicate the feasibility of the hybrid platform, combining the good accuracy (5 µm) and good surface finish (< 0.5 µm Ra) of either process.