Abstract
For the use of electrical discharge machining (EDM) to drill small, deep holes, many studies have shown that tool electrode vibration and rotation and pump forced flushing can improve machining efficiency or quality. However, these factors are usually studied separately. In this study, a hybrid, rotary, ultrasonic EDM system was developed that used these three methods simultaneously. A comparative investigation on different combinations of the three methods was conducted for drilling small, deep holes in Inconel 718 and 41Cr4 workpieces. Results showed that, compared with other combinations for precision drilling under low discharge currents, combinations including these three methods simultaneously achieved more stable machining and higher material removal rates. In addition, the applied current greatly influenced hole depth and the effects of ultrasonics. When a high discharge current was applied, the electrode vibration contribution appeared weak.
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The authors appreciate the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51505334 and 51275344).
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Ni, H., Gong, H., Dong, Y.H. et al. A comparative investigation on hybrid EDM for drilling small deep holes. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 95, 1465–1472 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-1282-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-1282-1