Effect of EDM Conditions on Surface Residual Stress of Cr12MoV Steel

In this paper, surface residual stress in the cold working tool steel (Cr12MoV) by EDM was investigated by X-350 X-ray residual stress analyzer and method of DJP-2 electrolytic polishing instrument to remove layer by layer in the different EDM conditions. The results show that the distribution of surface residual stress generated not only by the peak discharge current and pulse width, but also by pulse interval. The same depth from the surface, residual stress of material after hardening is larger than the residual stress after annealing, With the different combination of tool electrode and work-piece material, the form of the discharge between two electrodes and the proportion of energy put between two electrodes are different, surface residual stress are also different. Different processing liquid for processing, the depth of residual stress generated is much the same, but closer to the surface, the worse the cooling capacity (quench degrees) and surface physical properties of processing fluids, the greater the residual stress. EDM, the generation and control of the surface residual stress depends on the choice such as processing power criteria, work-piece material, electrode materials and processing liquid. Surface residual stress after processing can be used to eliminate high-temperature heat treatment.