The Effect of the Electrical Discharge Machining Process on the Material Properties of Nonconductive Ceramics

Abstract

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is widely used to manufacture complex shaped dies, molds and critical parts in conductive materials. With the help of an assisting electrode (AE), EDM process can be used to machine nonconductive ceramics. This paper evaluates the mechanical properties of three highperformance nonconductive ceramics (ZrO2, Si3N4, and SiC) that have been machined with the EDM process using AE. Mechanical properties such as Vickers hardness (HV 0.3), surface roughness (Sq), and flexural strength of the machined and the nonmachined samples are compared. The EDM process causes decrease in Vickers hardness, increase in surface roughness, and decrease in flexural strength.