Patel et al.

, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN

ISSN 0976
0976-3945

Research Paper
PARAMETRIC OPTIMIZATION OF WIRE CUT EDM MACHINE
ON HARD STEEL ALLOY WITH MULTIPLE QUALITY
CHARACTERISTICS
Atul J Patela, Prof.Satyam P Patelb
Address for Correspondence
a
PG Student, bAssistant Professor,, Department of Mechanical Engineering, S.P.B.Patel Engineering
College Linch, Mehsana, North Gujarat, 384435, India
ABSTRACT:
The objective of the present work is to investigate the effects of the various WEDM process parameters on the machining
quality and to obtain the optimal sets of process parameters so that the quality of machined parts can be optimized. The
working ranges and levels of the WEDM process parameters are found using one factor at a time approach. The Taguchi
technique has been used to investigate the effects of the WEDM Three levels of each of the factors wi will be taken and
experiments is designed by Taguchi methodology. L9 Orthogonal Array are used and experiments
experiments will be performed as
designed by Taguchi method. Optimal levels of process parameters will be identified using Grey Relational Analysis and the
relatively significant parameters are determined by Analysis of Variance. The variation of output responses with process
parameters are mathematically modelled. Results of the experimentation will be analyzed MINITAB software analytically
as well as graphically using ANOVA and main effect-interaction
effect plots, respectively
KEYWORDS: Grey-Taguchi Taguchi method, WEDM, MRR, Surface roughness
1. INTRODUCTION: though the work piece and is supported under tension
Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is one of the betweenn a pair of wire guides located at the opposite
must extensively used nonconventional, thermo - sides of the work piece. The lower wire guide is
electric metal removal process which encodes stationary where as the upper wire guide, supported
material from the work place by a series of discrete by the U-VV table, can be displaced transversely along
spark between a work and a tool electrode immersed U and V-axis
axis with respect to lower wire guide. The
in a liquid dielectric medium. Electrical energy is upper
per wire guide can also be positioned vertically
used directly y to cut the material in final shape. along Z-axis by moving the quill.
Melting and vaporization takes place by theses
electrical discharges. The minute a mounts of the
work material is then ejected and flushed away by the
dielectric medium. The sparks occur at high
frequency which continuously ously and effectively
removes the work prices material by melting and
evaporation. To initiate the machine process
electrode and work piece are separated by a small gap
known as spark gap which results into a pulsed
discharge causing the removal of material.
ial. Fig 1.1 Schematic diagram of the WEDM process
The dielectric acts as a deionizing medium between 2 EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY
two electrodes and its flow helps in vacating the 2.1 Taguchi design approach
resoliclified debris to assure optimal conditions for Taguchiss comprehensive system of quality
spark generation. In micro-wire
wire EDM operation the engineering is one of the greatest engineering
work piece metal is cut with a special metal wire w achievements of the 20th century. His methods focus
electrode that is programmed to travel along a on the effective application of engineering strategies
definite path. Spark discharges and generated rather than advanced statistical.
between a small wire electrode and a work piece to Step 1: In this step, the original response values are
produce complex two dimensional and three- three transformed into S/N ratio values. Further analysis is
dimensional shapes according to a NC path. A very carried out based on these S/N ratio values. The
thin wire in the range of 0.02 to 0.3 mm in diameter material removal rate is a higher higher-the-better
as an electrode is used in the wire-cut cut EDM. It performance characteristics, since the maximization
machines a work piece with electrical discharge like of the quality characteristic of interest is sought and
a bands haw by moving either the work piece or the can be expressed as:

wire. The mechanism of metal removal is same as in S 1 1
connectional EDM M The most prominent feature of a Ratio for MRR  10log 10 10 n  
moving wire is that a complicated cut can be early N y

machined without using a forming electrode The The surface roughness is the lower-the
the-better
CNC system of wire EDM has the duty to provide the performance characteristic and the loss function for
function of geometry trajectory, sequential control, the same can be expressed as

pulse generator control,
rol, wire feed and wire tension S 1
control and machining process control. Ratio for Ra  10log 10 10 n  y2
N
The WEDM machine tool comprises of a main 
worktable (X-Y) Y) on which the work piece is Step 2: In the grey relational analysis, a data prepre-
clamped; an auxiliary table (U-V) V) and wire drive processing is first performed in order to normalize
mechanism. The main table moves along X and Y- Y the raw data for analysis. Normalization is a
axis and it is driven by the D.C servo motors. The transformation performed on a single data input to
travelling wire is continuously fed from wire feed distribute the data evenly and scale it into an
spool and collected on take up spool which moves acceptable range for further analysis. In this study, a
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 Patel et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

linear normalization of the S/N ratio is performed in electrode material used was a 0.25 mm diameter
the range between zero and unity, which is also brass wire. A small gap of 0.025 mm to 0.05 mm is
called the grey relational generating. yij is maintained in between the wire and work-piece .
normalized as Zij (0Zij1) by the following formula Table shows the nine cutting experimental runs with
to avoid the effect of adopting different units and to the assigned levels of the process parameters
reduce the variability. The normalized material according to the selected L9 orthogonal layout.
removal rate corresponding to the larger-the-better 3.1 Work Piece Material:
criterion can be expressed as: AISI 304 stainless steel
max #  # Material thickness is 10 mm.
 
max #  min # Table 3 Chemical compositions
The surface roughness should follow the lower-the-
better criterion and can be expressed as:
max #  #
  Table 3.1 Data obtained from experimental work for
max #  min # WEDM process
Step 3: The grey relational coefficient is calculated
to express the relationship between the ideal (best)
and actual normalized experimental results. The grey
relational coefficient can be expressed as:
%& ( )%*+
$ 
 ( )%*+
Where;
j=1,2...n; k = 1,2...m, n is the number of experimental
data items and m is the number of responses.
Where is the distinguishing coefficient, which is
defined in the range 0 1. The WEDM process In the grey relational analysis, a data pre-processing
parameters are equally weighted in this study, and is first performed in order to normalize the raw data
therefore is 0.5. for analysis. Normalization is a transformation
Step 4: The grey relational grade is determined by performed on a single data input to distribute the data
averaging the grey relational coefficient evenly and scale it into an acceptable range for
corresponding to each performance characteristic. further analysis. In this study, a linear normalization
The overall performance characteristic of the of the S/N ratio is performed in the range between
multiple response process depends on the calculated zero and unity, which is also called the grey
grey relational grade. The grey relational coefficient relational generating.
can be expressed as: Table 3.2 Normalized S/N value of SR and MRR
,
1
#   $
&
-
Where grey relational grade for the jth experiment
and k is the number of performance characteristics.
2.2 Factors and their levels in WEDM PROCESS:
Table 2 Factors and their levels in WEDM Process

The grey relational coefficient is calculated to

express the relationship between the ideal (best) and
3 SELECTION OF MACHINE TOOL actual normalized experimental results.
The experiments will be carried out on a wire-cut Table 3.3 GRC value of SR and MRR
EDM machine (ELEKTRONICA SPRINTCUT
MACHINE TOOL] installed at SHAKTI WIRE
CUT, ODHAV AHMEDABAB-3800026.

The grey relational grade is determined by averaging

Figure 2.1: Pictorial View of WEDM Machine Tool
The experiments were carried out on a Four-axes
Electronica Supercut CNC WEDM machine. The
IJAET/Vol. IV/ Issue II/April-June, 2013/74-77
the grey relational coefficient corresponding to each
performance characteristic. The overall performance
characteristic of the multiple response process
depends on the calculated grey relational grade.
This approach converts a multiple response process
optimization problem into a single response
 Patel et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

optimization situation with the objective function of

an overall grey relational grade. Table shows the grey
relation coefficient and grey relational grade for each
experiment using the L9 orthogonal array. The higher
grey relational grade reveals that the corresponding
experimental result is closer to the ideally normalized
value. Experiment 7 has the best multiple
performance characteristic among 9 experiments,
because it has the highest grey relational grade
shown in Table.
Table 3.4 GRG calculation value

Figure 3.3: Main effect plot of Material removal rate

(MRR)

Since the experimental design is orthogonal, it is

possible to separate out the effect of each machining
parameter on the grey relational grade at different
levels.
The mean of the grey relational grade for each level
of the other machining parameters can be computed
in a similar manner. The mean of the grey relational Figure 3.4: Effect of Process Parameters on MRR (S/N
Data)
grade for each level of the machining parameters is Table 3.6 ANOVA for Material Removal Rate
summarized and shown in graph.

Figure 3.1: Num of Expriments vs GRG

Taguchi Analysis: Ra(m) versus ton, toff, wt, ip
Response Table for Signal to Noise Ratios
Smaller is better
Table 3.7 Response Table for S/N Data

Figure 3.2: Main effect plot of GRG for WEDM Process

Taguchi Analysis: MRR(mm3/min) versus ton,
toff, wt, ip
Response Table for Signal to Noise Ratios (Larger
is better)
Table 3.5: Response Table for S/N Data

Figure 3.5: Main effect plot of Surface Roughness (Ra)

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 Patel et al., International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945
Figure 3.6: Effect of Process Parameters on Surface
roughness for (S/N Data)
Table 3.8 ANOVA for Surface roughness
REFERENCES:
4 REGRESSION ANALYSIS EQUATIONS:
By use of MINITAB 16 software I found the
regression analysis equation.
Regression analysis of Material removal rate for
WEDM Process
Regression Equation:
MRR = - 50.8 + 0.786 Pulse on time - 0.302 Pulse off
time - 0.005 Wire tension + 0.0639 Input power
Regression analysis of Surface roughness for WEDM
Process
Regression Equation:
Ra = - 3.66 + 0.0493 Pulse on time - 0.0043 Pulse off
time + 0.0096 Wire tension + 0.00203 Input power
5 RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
In this dissertation work, various cutting parameters
like pulse on time, Pulse of time, Wire tension, and
input power have been evaluated to investigate their
influence on surface roughness and material removal
rate. Based on the result obtained, it can be concluded
as follows:

Surface roughness
Pulse on time, Input power, pulse off time
and wire tension significantly effects on
surface roughness.
Input power is found to have effect on
surface roughness. Increase in Input power,
value of surface roughness is increase.
Pulse off time is found to have effect on
surface roughness. Increase in pulse off time
value of surface roughness is decrease.
From ANOVA analysis the percentage
contribution of Pulse on time is 52.21%,
pulse off time of 10.86% and wire tension of
8.12%, and Input power 26.96 % on surface
roughness.

Material removal rate
Pulse on time, Input power, pulse off time
and wire tension significantly effects on
MRR.
Pulse on time is found to have effect on
material removal rate. Increase in Pulse on
IJAET/Vol. IV/ Issue II/April-June, 2013/74-77
time, value of material removal rate is
increase.
From the ANOVA and also SN ratio
response table it is conclude that the Pulse
on time and Input power is most significant
parameter which contributes more to MRR.
From ANOVA analysis the percentage
contribution of Pulse on time is 63.67%,
pulse off time of 2.44% and wire tension of
1.80 %, and Input power 31.66 % on MRR.
Mathematical relations between the
machining parameters, namely Pulse On-
time, Pulse Off-time, Wire tension and input
power and performance characteristics such
as MRR and Ra are established by the linear
regression analysis method by using
MINITAB software.
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