A perspective on shaping of advanced ceramics by electro discharge machining

Advanced ceramics possesses properties like high corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, high wear resistance and high refractoriness; they can retain high hardness at elevated temperatures etc, these properties renders them as potential candidates for various applications. Due to such excellent properties these materials have overcome the limitations offered by metals and can withstand severe wear and tear at elevated temperatures and hostile working environments. Therefore the need to process these materials has elicited a deeper interest amongst engineers and scientists alike. Due to such outstanding properties these hard and brittle materials cannot be machined by conventional techniques. The traditional sintering process utilized to shape these materials is ineffective to generate fine shapes without micro cracks. Electro discharge machining offers an opportunity to machine complex shapes and geometries of such ceramics. The aim of this review is to explore the candidature of EDM as a viable option in shaping of these materials. The paper addresses machining of different ceramics and advanced ceramics by Electro discharge machining. This overview emphasizes on unfolding numerical models and experimental work carried out by past researchers and further identifies challenges in effective machining of these advanced ceramics by EDM.