Spacing roughness parameters analysis on the EDM of Inconel (R) 600 alloy

Abstract

Many research studies may be found regarding the measurement of surface roughness parameters. Most of them are focused on amplitude parameters as they are the most commonly used in industry, while little research has been found on the spacing ones. Spacing roughness parameters measure the horizontal characteristics of the surface deviations. In this present study, the influence of current intensity, pulse time and duty cycle on spacing roughness parameters Sm and Pc has been analyzed. Design of experiments techniques are used in order to both model and predict the most influential factors by using a small number of experiments. Current intensity of 2 A, pulse time of 25 mu s and duty cycle of 0.5 are selected as the best machining conditions in order to obtain the lowest surface roughness.