Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Shanthi Jayachandran ¹
• Mohan Raman ²
• Palanisamy Ponnusamy ³

¹ Renovation & Modernisation Division, Mettur Thermal Power Station-I, Metturdam

² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sona College of Technology, Salem

³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College Chennai

Abstract

Wire Electrical Discharge Machining is one of the most effective Non-Conventional Machining method available to
machine intricate shapes which are very difficult to machine with conventional machining methods, on electrically
conductive materials havingvarying hardness. In this research work, an attempt hasbeen made to study the effect of
process parameters of WEDM on the Surface roughness. Input process parameters considered in this work are Pulse on
time (TON), Pulse off time(TOFF), Wire Feed (WF), Wire Tension(WT) and theSurface Roughness as response. Al 7075
Aluminium alloywas taken as work material and Brass coated copper wire as electrode to machine and the values of
roughness obtained by varying the input process parameters were analysed using Taguchi method (L 27 orthogonal
array). The measured values have been used to develop the mathematical modeland the accuracy of the model was
tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique. Based on the predicted values the interaction graphs, were
drawn betweentheSurface roughnessandthe processparameterstaken for this study. It was construedthatthepulse-on
time has the highest impact on the Surface roughness followed by the Wire feed, Wire tension and the Pulse-off time.
The surface roughnessgot increasedwith increase in wire feed. Finally optimum parameters have been arrived to
achieve better surface roughness. WEDMed surface was also examined by using scanning electron microscope (SEM)
and evinced that the physical behaviour of these process parameters on Surface roughness.Copyright © VBRI Press.

Keywords

• WEDM
• optimisation
• Surface Roughness
• RSM
• GA
• Al 7075
• SEM
• brass coated wire