Single-Spark Analysis of Electro-Discharge Deposition Process

Electro-discharge deposition (EDD) process is one of the newly developing, nonlithographic additive manufacturing methods to fabricate 3D microproducts. The advantage of the EDD process is that 3D microcomponents can be manufactured from the materials which are electrically conductive in nature. In this paper, a comprehensive attempt to develop a thermophysical model for single discharge deposition process has been reported. Experiments are designed and conducted by central composite design (CCD) and the obtained results are compared with simulation results. Parametric analysis is carried out to study the effects of EDD process parameters like current, pulse-on time, and duty factor on height, width, and weight of deposition. The objective of this research work is to simulate and predict the material deposition mechanism of EDD process in a single pulse. Simulation results are compared with experimental results and it is found that the developed model can predict results which are closer to experimental results. It is concluded from the results that the thermophysical model can be further modified to establish EDD process with optimum process parameters.