Surface integrity analysis of single discharge characteristics derived from the continuous wire EDM process.

Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) is recognized as a versatile and unconventional machining process, uniquely capable of handling workpieces irrespective of their mechanical properties with high precision. Due to overlapping effects and complex gap conditions inherent to the WEDM process, the transferability of surface integrity characteristics between single discharge craters and continuously machined surfaces using WEDM remains a topic of investigation. This study delves into whether attributes observed in single discharges, such as crater shape, white layer thickness, and roughness, are consistently manifested in a fully machined surface. By varying WEDM parameters, individual craters were produced and analyzed on Inconel 718 to set a baseline of characteristics. The surface integrity of continuously machined surfaces was then evaluated to determine their alignment with the properties of single discharges. The results show that so-called high productivity wires cause smaller but deeper craters, while high precision wires cause craters, which are shallower but larger in their area. For the uncoated brass wire, an anisotropy of the surface roughness could be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]