Influence of selected groups of additives on breakdown in EDM sinking

The ignition and breakdown behaviour in spark erosion processes are determined by a large number of different effects. The paper shows the specific effects of some selected groups of additives, which were added to the dielectric working fluid. The aim of our investigations was to find additives which led to modified discharge channels. The first investigation referred mainly to those groups of additives which can be found in commonly available spark erosion fluids, depending on the production process. The example shows the different breakdown courses of alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.