Some results on the performance of EDM electrodes produced by SLS technique

摘要

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a non-conventional machining process widely applied to manufacture of complex, small and hard material components which are not easily machined by conventional processes. The production of complex EDM electrodes is difficult, time consuming and it can account for about 50 per cent of the total process costs. Selective laser sintering can be an alternative technique to produce EDM electrodes in a faster way. This work has carried out an experimental study on the performance of EDM electrodes made by SLS using pure copper, bronze-nickel alloy, copper/bronze-nickel alloy and steel alloy powders. Important EDM performance measures such as material removal rate V_w and volumetric relative wear 9 were investigated. The results showed that all the electrodes made by SLS promoted a poor EDM performance when compared to solid copper electrode.