Determination of material removal rate in wire electro-discharge machining of metal matrix composites using dimensional analysis

Wire electro-discharge machining (WEDM) is a vital process in manufacturing intricate shapes. The present work proposes a semi-empirical model for material removal rate in WEDM based on thermo-physical properties of the work piece and machining parameters such as pulse on-time and average gap voltage. The model is developed by using dimensional analysis and non-linear estimation technique such as quasi-Newton and simplex. Predictability of the proposed model is more than 99% for all work materials studied. The work materials were silicon carbide particulate reinforced aluminium matrix composites. The experiments and model prediction show significant role of coefficient of thermal expansion in WEDM of these materials. In addition, an empirical model, based on response surface method, has also been developed. The comparison of these models shows significant agreement in the predictions.