Magnetic Field Assisted EDM: New Horizons for Improved Surface Properties

The current research study for hybrid machining of Al-based metal matrix composites (MMCs) employs magnetic field coupled traditional electrical discharge machining (EDM) to address the manufacturing demands in aeronautics, automobile, medical equipment, etc. The input processing parameters, for instance, magnetic field intensity, pulse-on/off duration, peak current, variant of electrodes as well as workpiece were evaluated to determine their after-effects on the responses in terms of microhardness (MH) and recast layer formation while machining of Al-SiC composites. The experimental results show 22% decrease in the surface microhardness values and thinner recast layer formation at magnetic field coupled higher spark energy. The results demonstrate the process stability and exhibit a good accord with experimental verification.