Micro EDM deposition in air by single discharge thermo simulation

A thermo-physical model for micro electric discharge machining deposition process using finite element method (FEM) was introduced. The numerical analysis of the single spark operation of the process was carried out in FEM software ANSYS, considering the Gaussian distribution of heat flux, initial and boundary conditions, and energy distribution of different kinds of tool electrode and workpiece in material. The suitable discharge conditions for the deposition process were predicted from the transient temperature analysis. According to the results from the simulation analysis, a brass micro cylinder with approximately 200 μm in diameter and 1.2 mm in height was deposited on a steel surface, and the deposited material was close packed. The validity of the thermo-physical model and FEM solving procedure were proven through a lot of machining experiments and tests of the deposited material characters.