A numerical method for predicting depth of heat affected zone in EDM process for AISI H13 tool steel

Abstract

This study presents a finite element model (FEM) to model temperature distribution for AISI H13 tool steel workpiece in electrical discharge machining (EDM) at different machining parameters (pulse current, pulse on-time, temperature-sensitive material properties, size of heat source, and material flushing efficiency). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) and micro-hardness tests were used to validate accuracy of FEM predictions. Increasing pulse on-time leads to a higher depth of heat affected zone and increasing pulse current results in a slight decrease of depth of heat affected zone. There is a good agreement between experimental and numerical results.