Electro discharge machining performance of chromium copper powder metal electrodes

Abstract

In electro discharge machining used frequently in tool production, copper and graphite is commonly used as electrode material. The reason of this is high melting temperatures and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity of these materials. But, the low wear resistance of these materials makes it necessary to investigate different materials that have more wear resistance. Up to now, apart from copper, materials like brass, chromium, tungsten, steel, titanium have been used in electrode production. Apart from different materials, different production techniques have been investigated to increase production time. Powder metallurgy is one of these techniques. Electrode production with powder metallurgy becomes more advantageous than other production techniques due to the possibility of different powder combinations and controlling of thermal, electrical, mechanical and micro structure properties of produced electrodes with pressing pressure and sintering temperature. In the present study, chromium-copper composite electrodes produced with powder metallurgy will be used for electro discharge machining of SAE 1040 steel and material removal rate, electrode wear rate and surface roughness values will be compared with values from machining with electrolytic copper.