Finite Element Analysis of Wire Electrode On WEDM Process Using ANSYS
Finite Element Analysis of Wire Electrode On WEDM Process Using ANSYS
Finite Element Analysis of Wire Electrode On WEDM Process Using ANSYS
Abstract:- The Wire Electro Discharge Machining (WEDM) process is a violent thermal process where literally
thousands of electrical discharges are produced in a fraction of a single second in order to erode a certain volume of
metal work piece. The process is mostly and efficiently used in situations where intricate complex shapes need to be
machined in very hard materials (such as hardened tool steel, CBN ,Ceramic etc). However, the process generate surfaces that
have poor properties such as high tensile residual stresses, high surface roughness, presence of micro-cracks and
micro-voids. These properties vary with different levels of the main conventional machining parameters.
The aim of this FEA simulation is to present a transient thermal and structural simulation work that has been a three
dimensional finite element model with two new materials to predict the temperature distribution, Total heat flux at different
pulses of time as well as stress distribution in WEDM wire electrode. Thermal stress developed after the end of the spark and
structural stresses developed due to tension in wire electrode. The effect on significant machining parameter pulse-on-time has
been investigated and found that the peak temperature is sharply increases with the parameters. Wire electrical discharge
machining process is a mostly used non-conventional material removal processes.
Keywords: ANSYS, WEDM, Thermal transient and structural simulation, Temperature, Heat flux, structural stresses.
I. INTRODUCTION
WEDM was initially developed by manufacturing industry in the since 1960. The development technique is replaced the machined
electrode used in electrical discharge machining. In 1974, D.H. Dulebohn introduced the optical line follower system which is
automatic control the shapes of the part to be machined by the wire electrical discharge machining process. In 1975, it was popular
rapidly, and its capability was better understood by manufacturing industry. When the computer numerical control system was
introduced in WEDM process this brought about a most important development of the machining process. Consequently the wide
capability of the wire electrical discharge machining process was widely exploited for any through-hole machining owing to the
wire, which has to pass through the part to be machined. In micro-wire EDM operation the work piece metal is cut with a special
metal wire electrode which has been programmed via CNC to travel along a definite path. Spark discharges and generates
between a small wire electrode and a work piece to produce complex two dimensional and three-dimensional shapes according to a
NC path. The wire diameter of the electrodes used ranges from 0.02 to 0.30 mm. Material can be removed from the workpiece
through the movement of either the workpiece or the wire electrode. The mechanism of metal removal is similar to that
in convectional micro EDM. The most prominent feature of a moving wire is that a complicated cut-out can be early
machined without using a forming of electrode .Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an important thermal erosion process
which erodes the material from the work piece by a series of Discrete sparks between the electrode and the work piece immersed in
a dielectric liquid medium. Electrical energy is used directly to cut the material in final shape, through melting and subsequent
vaporization. The molten material is ejected and flushed away through the dielectric medium. Wire electrical discharge machining
process is a mostly used non-conventional material removal processes. This is use for manufacturing difficult shape and profile of
hard materials.
1) Spark Gap:
Space between electrode and work piece is called spark gap. Here voltage is applied. The electric field created throughout the space
between these electrodes.
2) Kerf Width:
It is the sum of the wire diameter and twice of spark gap. The kerf width is generally measure using the Infinite Focus Alicona
Machine.
micro WEDM. The three-dimensional temperature distribution of the micro wire has been numerically determined in the study of
this paper.
B. Anshuman Kumar
Wire Electrical Discharge machine (EDM) is one of the versatile methods for making micro product of complex geometry. The
process parameters play a critical role for the accuracy and precision of the work component. Inconel 718 is a super alloy used for
many critical operations. It’s a challenging task for ding EDM operation of Inconel-718. It is highly essential to study the process
mechanics for effective micro-EDM operation. In the present investigation, numerical simulation of wire EDM has been carried out
using ANSYS software in order to determine temperature profile, Material Removal Rate (MRR) for single discharge and converted
into the multi-discharge. For multi-discharge machining material removal was calculated by calculating the no. of pulse.
Justification of model has been done by comparing the experimental versus numerical result obtained under the same parameter.
The predicted results are obtained for single spark and Inconel 718 as a workpiece. Predicted temperature distribution on the
workpiece. Make the one by one parameters constant out of three and checking the variation of constant parameter and effect on
MRR.
C. Di Shichun
In micro-wire electrical discharge machining (micro-WEDM), the machined kerf width is varying with different machining
parameters, which greatly influences the machining precision. In order to study the variation in kerf in micro-WEDM, the
mathematical model of wire lateral vibration in machining process is established and its analytical solution is obtained in this paper.
The model is practically verified on a self-developed micro-WEDM machine.
D. K. Hada
It is difficult to find the optimum machining conditions in wire electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM), because discharge
current is influenced by the impedances of the wire and work piece electrodes which may vary depending on the diameter of the
wire, height of the work piece and materials of wire and work piece even if the pulse conditions are the same. Hence, this study aims
to develop a simulator to analyze the distribution of the current density, and magnetic flux density in and around the wire to obtain
the impedances of the wire and work piece electrodes using the electromagnetic field analysis by finite element method (FEM).
E. S. Saha
This research develops a simple finite element model and a new approach to predict the thermal distribution in the wire fairly
accurately. The model can be used to optimize the different parameters of the system to prevent wire breakage. Based on this
principle, the finite element model and optimization algorithm are used to determine that the heat generated is the critical variable
responsible for wire breakage.
B. Governing Equation:
In this study, a finite element model is used to numerically analyse the thermal response of the WEDM wire electrode under the load
of electro discharge. Considering that the wire diameter is only 0.1 mm, the ratio of the length to the diameter of the wire inside the
workpiece will be larger than 30 even if the height of the workpiece is as thin as 3 mm.This is the equation for calculation of
transient temperature distribution within workpiece. The differential governing equation of thermal diffusion differential equation in
a model is governed by the following:
Where r and θ are the radial and angle coordinates of point P, respectively, z is the axial coordinate of point P, ρ and C, respectively,
the density and the specific heat of the wire material, and T is the temperature of the micro element in the wire.
C. Boundary Condition
The boundary between area 1 and area 2 can be mathematically determined by the following equations:-
Here; r=rw ...................... (2)
Where, h is the heat transfer coefficient, T0 is the initial temperature of wire electrode and T Temperature.
D. Material Properties
In wire EDM process, huge thermal energy is generated, so material properties are required for analysis this process. In this paper
two materials are taken:-
1) Brass Wire: The chemical composition of brass is 62% Cu and 38% Zn.
0
Melting temperature C 1083
Shear modulus G Pa 37
0
Solid C 885
The specification of WEDM wire electrode is taken from paper Fuzhu Han [1] and Anshuman Kumar [2]. Which is listed as
following:-
Table No. 4: Parameters of Electrode Used For Transient Thermal and Structural Analysis in WEDM Process
A. Spark Radius
Spark radius is an important parameter in the thermal modelling of WEDM process. In practice, it is very difficult to measure
experimentally, because spark radius very short pulse duration of in microseconds.
Fig. 7: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient temperature distribution on Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 8: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient temperature distribution on Inconel 718 wire electrode.
Here the transient temperature distribution of both wire is shown in fig 7 and fig 8. The maximum temperature developed inside the
both wire electrode, as we observed that the initial stage temperature variation is higher as compared to latter stage and the
maximum temperature generated Inconel 718 is higher as compared to Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 10: Transient heat flux distribution on Inconel 718 wire electrode.
Fig. 11: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution on Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 12: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution on Inconel 718 wire electrode.
Here the graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution is shown in fig 11 and fig 12. Here we
can observe that the maximum heat flux generated inside the Inconel 718 is higher as compared to the Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 15: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient temperature distribution on Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 16: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient temperature distribution on inconel 718 wire electrode.
Here the transient temperature distribution of both wire is shown in fig 15 and fig 16. The maximum temperature developed inside
the both wire electrode, as we observed that the initial stage temperature variation is higher as compared to latter stage and the
maximum temperature generated Inconel 718 is higher as compared to Brass wire electrode.
Now the heat flux result is obtained as follow:-
Fig. 18: Transient heat flux distribution on Inconel 718 wire electrode.
Fig. 19: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution on Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 20: Graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution on Inconel 718 wire electrode.
Here the graphical representation of maximum and minimum transient heat flux distribution is shown in fig 19 and fig 20. Here we
can observe that the maximum heat flux generated inside the Inconel 718 is higher as compared to the Brass wire electrode.
Fig. 23: Maximum Principle Stress on Brass and Inconel 718 wire electrode.
IX. CONCLUSION
If we were discuss the maximum temperature and maximum heat flux generated inside the WEDM wire electrode then we observed
the following table:
Table No. 7: The maximum value of temperature and heat flux of Brass and Inconel wire
Material Maximum value on 25 volt and 27 amp Maximum value on 50 volt and 11 amp
WEDM Temperature On Heat Flux On Temperature On Heat Flux On
wire ( 0C ) fig. (W/mm2) fig. ( 0C ) fig. (W/mm2) fig.
electrode no. no. no. no.
Brass 483.63 7 2814.8 11 833.04 15 4953.9 19
Inconel 576.73 8 2120.5 12 997.27 16 3740.8 20
718
From the above table we can conclude the maximum temperature generated by the Inconel 718 wire electrode is more than the
Brass wire electrode , The maximum heat generated inside the Brass wire is more than as compared to Inconel 718 electrode ,The
deformation in the Brass wire is more than Inconel 718 as discussed in fig no. 21 and 22.Then finally we can state that Inconel 718
is better composite material for WEDM wire electrode because of higher maximum temperature generation minimum heat
generated inside wire and minimum deformation. When there is minimum heat generated inside the wire then the chances to reach
the recrystallization and melting is less.
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