Surface topography generation and simulation in electrical discharge texturing: A review

Recent advancements in electrical discharge texturing (EDT) make it a suitable candidate for many novel and innovative applications. This paper presents a comprehensive review of experimental and modeling works on topography characterization of random and isotropic surface textures generated using the EDT process. Initially, the review examines the different modes of EDT for texture generation and different applications of EDT surfaces. Then, the review undertakes a comprehensive analysis of experimental characterizations of EDT surface topographies in terms of profile roughness (2D) and areal texture (3D) parameters. A better understanding of the correlation between surface topography and surface functionality is evolved from this study. This review also covers the evolution of simulations in EDT through its gradual progress from single-crater simulations to multi-crater simulations and finally to surface topography simulations. A suitable selection of individual discharge features of heat flux distribution, thermo-physical properties, cathode energy fraction, spark radius, and plasma flushing efficiency and extending it considering multi-crater aspects of spark distribution in location, energy level, and chronological order and crater overlap, advances to the simulation of EDT surface topography. Finally, the future research avenues in EDT are identified as developing new modes, topography quantification, functionality improvement, minimum quantity dielectric usage, improvement in surface topography simulations, and artificial intelligence for topography prediction.