Experimental model on the wire wear for WEDM of hard to machine materials

In this study, the wear of wire electrodes was investigated experimentally in wire electrical discharge machining. Naked brass wire, 0.25 mm diameter, zinc oxide coated brass wire and brass CuZn20 coated with brass CuZn50 wire were applied in the conducted research. The wire wear ratio of WEDM of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and cemented carbide B40 was described. As important WEDM parameters, the following variables were chosen: discharge time t_on, average working voltage U. The following properties of machined materials, such as: melting point T_t, electrical conductivity σ, thermal conductivity K, thermal expansion coefficient k, density ρ, heat capacity c_p, were also selected to develop the semi-empirical model of the wear of wire electrodes. The variation of the wire wear with cutting different materials by applying three different wire electrodes and process parameters was modelled semi-empirically by employing dimensional analysis.