Investigation of surface quality in Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM) method of μ-Al2O3 Powder-Mixed-EDM process on machining of Ti-6Al-4V

The high strength and hard-to-cut materials can be easily machined by using modern machining methods. It is important to introduce the efforts on enhancing the process for improving the machining quality. In the present investigation, an effort was made to analyze the effects of micro-size Al2O3 particles mixed into Kerosene as the dielectric under different powder concentrations on machining titanium alloy in Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based algorithm utilized to analyze the performance measures by considering machining time with Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM) method in Powder Mixed Electro Discharge Machining (PMEDM) process. It was found that the micron size powders can significantly help to enhance the surface quality of the Ti-6Al-4V during machining in the PMEDM process. The presence of carbon, oxygen elements and the formation of surface oxides and carbides has been found due to the decomposition of dielectric fluid in the PMEDM process. The lower deep cavities and uniform of PMEDM’s surface have been produced by added Al2O3 powder into the EDM process owing to lower surface cracks density, conductivity.