The Effect of Wire -EDM Processing on the Flexural Strength of Large Scale ZrO2-TiN

Technical ceramics are generally used in high demanding applications, e.g.: Zirconia (ZrO2) has an excellent fracture toughness but it is difficult to machine into complex shapes. Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a valid option for hard materials, though this requires an electro-conductive work piece. In the presented work a large scale ZrO2 blank with a conductive secondary TiN phase is processed by Wire -EDM with different finishing regimes. 4 Point bending tests are conducted to check the final flexural strength as a consequence of the EDM process, and the integrity of the surface and subsurface is analyzed and discussed.