Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 000000

5th CIRP Conference on High Performance Cutting 2012

Die-sink EDM in meso-micro machining

U. Maradiaa*, M. Boccadorob, J. Stirnimannc, I. Beltramib, F. Kustera, K. Wegenera,c
a

Institute of Machine Tools and Manufacturing, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
b
Agie Charmilles SA, Losone 6616, Switzerland
c
inspire AG, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +41-44-632 91 36; fax: +41-44-632 11 25.E-mail address: maradia@iwf.mavt.ethz.ch.

Abstract
Micro EDM has been identified since more than a decade as suitable process for machining complex shaped structures with high
aspect ratio, though only through variations of EDM such as micro EDM milling, micro EDM drilling, coated electrodes etc. In the
current paper, we present the research focused on analysing the capability for implementation of die-sink EDM in meso - micro
scale machining (structures with surface area smaller than 10mm2 down to 0.05mm2) by concentrating on primary process
parameters to obtain high material removal rate, low tool electrode wear with high form accuracy and precision. Graphite electrodes
were mill machined in meso-micro scale with high precision and accuracy. Low tool wear technology was developed for using
graphite electrodes in meso-micro EDM offering economical and energy efficient solution in meso-micro scale machining.

2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of CIRP
Keywords: Micromachining; Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM); Precision manufacturing

1. Introduction
Ever increasing space, energy and efficiency
requirements
are
pushing
products
towards
miniaturisation in several areas such as biomedicine,
electronics, dies-moulds, optics, energy, micro
mechanics, micro fluidics, aerospace and aeronautics to
name a few [1]. The parts for such devices are
manufactured directly or using replication techniques for
large throughput, where manufacturing restrictions
considerably influence the design process and sometimes
overall performance of the product [2]. In the
manufacturing process chains for such products, various
machining techniques such as micro-milling, microEDM, micro-ECM, IBM, Laser ablation, etc. are
required either to machine final parts or for the die and
mould machining for the replication techniques such as
micro-injection moulding, micro-casting, microstamping [2][3]. Micro-milling is a promising technique
with advancements in tool coatings, tool geometry, high
precision machine structures and spindles, though high
aspect ratio (L/D>10) structures and small feature
dimensions (below 100m) remain a challenge. Laser

ablation with advancements in optics and with ultra-short

pico- and femto- second pulses is finding increasing
applications especially in bio-medicine sector, but higher
costs limits its wide spread application. On the other
hand, Micro EDM has been identified as one of the
potential micro-machining techniques with obvious
advantages of machining complex structures with high
aspect ratios, high precision and accuracy irrespective of
work-piece material hardness and toughness.
2. Meso - Micro EDM
The main difference between conventional EDM and
micro-EDM can be drawn by smallest feature
dimensions to be machined by the process which must
also consider the contemporary levels of conventional
technologies. In this regard, paradigm shift in process
behaviour and thus need for process control allows
definition of meso- and micro- EDM, where machining
of features with projection area above 10mm2 is
considered conventional EDM, between 10mm2-1mm2 is
considered meso EDM and surface area 1mm2 and below
or smallest dimension below 1mm is considered micro-

Maradia et al. / Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 000000

EDM. In this regime of EDM, variants such as micro

EDM drilling, micro EDM milling have been developed
[4] [5]. In spite of its ability to machine complex cavities
with high accuracy, micro EDM milling is employed
mainly in niche applications whereas micro EDM
drilling is limited by shape of the tool electrode.
Even though large amount of research is dedicated in
the field, there is currently no existing alternative of
EDM which offers manufacturing industry with an
option to machine features in meso- and micro scale with
the same ease as conventional EDM due to involved high
tool wear, low material removal rate, surface
subsurface damages and thus poor process efficiency in
this regime. The aim of current research is to facilitate an
industrial, economical and energy efficient solution for
meso-micro scale machining using die-sink EDM
through qualitative and quantitative analysis of the
process. The current paper introduces challenges for diesink EDM implementation in meso-micro scale followed
by the experimental setup for machining graphite
electrodes in meso-micro scale and details of equipment
used for the current research. Initial results are then
presented along with discussion followed by conclusions
and outlook.
2.1. Process outputs and challenges
Material removal rate, tool wear and surface quality
are the main process outputs of EDM. The challenge for
direct implementation of EDM in meso- micro scale
machining is not only overall lower process efficiency
but also high tool electrode wear. Various methods have
been suggested such as coating of tool electrode [6],
novel materials for tool material [7] or tool wear
compensation [8] in addition to conventional method of
using multiple electrodes. However, these methods
cannot be widely implemented in machining industry
due to involved costs of materials, equipment and
process sensitivity. Also, electrode materials such as
tungsten carbide are very difficult to machine and thus
are limited by its machinability in meso-micro scale. On
other hand, conventional electrode materials such as
copper and graphite are easy to machine by milling or
WEDM in meso-micro scale but incur extremely high
electrode wear in meso-micro scale EDM, which
requires multiple electrodes strategy. Especially for high
aspect ratio structures and precision manufacturing, the
number of required electrodes is quite high for mesomicro EDM since it follows a vicious cycle of corner
wear as shown in fig. 1, which ultimately restricts the
form accuracy of the machined part. As shown in fig. 1,
first tool electrode being subjected to corner wear with
increasing machining depth ultimately wear out frontally
causing frontal and lateral wear (see, fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Effect of tool wear on final workpiece form accuracy for multi
electrode machining strategy.

The subsequent electrodes 2, 3, 4, 5 then start

machining the contour produced on workpiece where
electrode corners are initially engaged causing again
high wear of corners leading to shape deformation. Thus,
for example one achieves desired form precision,
accuracy and smallest corner radius on workpiece by
using 5 electrodes. Multi-electrode strategy thus results
in higher costs, higher energy - resource requirements
and lower productivity for meso-micro scale machining.
Also for precision machining, lower accuracy of
machined parts is expected due to positioning errors
involved while machining and changing tool electrodes.

Form
Radii / angle

Lateral
wear
Frontal
wear

0.8 mm

Fig. 2. Characterization of tool electrode wear: frontal wear, lateral

wear and form distortion. Original electrode diameter in background is
0.8mm, length 5mm; machined from Graphite with average grain size
7m. Applied maximum current per pulse is 20A, positive polarity.

Maradia et al. / Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 00000

3. Experimental setup and methods

machine cylindrical electrodes and Wire-EDM was used

to machine copper electrodes in meso-micro scale.

3.1. Milling of graphite electrodes in meso-micro scale

3.2. Equipment for EDM
With developments in EDM grade graphite with fine
grain sizes (<5m), machining of extremely small
structures with high aspect ratios and complex structures
has become possible. It must be noted only few
publications [9][10][11] are available dedicated to
graphite electrode machining and no publications were
found studying the graphite machining in meso- micro
scale.
High precision 5-axes machining centre Willemin
W518MT was used to machine the electrodes where a
hand-written cam strategy was used and optimised to
achieve precise form of the electrode with high
accuracy. To prevent damage of machine elements and
maintain stable process, a graphite dust suction system
was devised (see, fig. 3) using industrial vacuum suction
pump and a regulated air flow was provided to keep the
machining region of electrode free from dust-clogging
which may distort the machined electrode geometry.
Diamond coated special end-mill for graphite machining
from Fraisa SA was used. For roughing, 2mm diameter
and 10mm long end-mill whereas 1mm diameter and
10mm long end-mill with 200m corner radius was used
for finishing operations.

High precision die-sink EDM apparatus Form 1000

from Agie Charmilles SA was used during current
research. The machine structure is capable of positioning
accuracy of less than 1m and designed with optimal
strategy for cooling, keeping workspace at constant
temperature to achieve high precision and accuracy. No
additional changes were made in the equipment since
main focus of research lies in facilitating every
manufacturing company with meso-micro scale
machining at no added costs or skills. Special adaptive
process control algorithms were generated during the
work to achieve desired process outputs.
3.3. Experimental conditions
As mentioned earlier, electrode materials were
selected as graphite and copper since they are most often
used electrode materials in conventional EDM.
Maximum pulse current in range of 2-20A with positive
tool polarity and pulse duration in range of 5-180s were
used. Oelheld IME110 hydrocarbon based dielectric was
used for all EDM experiments and hot work steel 1.2343
was mainly used as work-piece material.
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Meso-micro scale graphite electrodes

Fig. 3. Experimental setup for machining of graphite electrodes using

milling in meso- micro scale.

Machined graphite for tool electrode was POCO

EDM-3 grade with average particle size smaller than
5m and Ringsdorf R8650 with average particle size
7m according to data specification from the
manufacturer. The spindle speed above 85000RPM
specified by end-mill manufacturer was not attainable
with specified machine and thus maximum spindle speed
used was limited to 20000RPM. Depth of cut was kept
at 0.1mm whereas cutting velocity was set at
300mm/min. Additionally, turning operation was used to

Fig. 4. Examples of machined graphite electrodes in meso-micro scale:

Left: Features with different surface areas and ribs in micro scale and
6mm depth. Centre: Lookup table (LUT) processed image by
contrasting different machined features to attest their form accuracy.
Right: 15x15 mm2 graphite electrode with machined features of
different sizes from surface area 1mm2 down to 0.075mm2.

As can be seen in fig. 4, high precision micro

structures can be machined with relative ease in a
conventional workshop environment. Since the CAM
software strategies could not bring desired form
accuracy in micro scale dimensions (see, fig. 6c), a
manual tool path was generated using loop around
strategy as shown in fig. 5.

Maradia et al. / Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 000000

Tool electrode
Before erosion After erosion
G09
G09
Exact stop check

Exact stop
check

G64
G64
Normal cutting mode
Normal
cutting mode

Manual tool path

Manual
tool path
Loop around
Loop around

Fig. 5. Examples of various machining strategies to achieve high form

accuracy including manual tool path adopted during this research using
loop around method.

0.150 x 0.150 x 7.5 mm3

(b)

Work-piece

20mm

0.780mm x
17.770mm

(a)

(c)

Fig. 6. (a) Example of machined graphite electrode having cross

section area (0.15x0.15) mm2 and length 7.5mm (L/D =50). (b) Cross
section of shown electrode depicting the form precision achievable
using current loop around strategy. (c) Cross section of tool electrode
machined using normal CAM strategy.

Fig. 7. Example of graphite electrode before and after erosion having

diameter 0.62mm and length 20mm. Depth of erosion was 18mm with
frontal gap compensation of 0.065mm for finishing operations. Cavity
produced in workpiece is shown on right.

(a)

Tool
electrode
#1

Current limits were found by machining a (0.15x.015)

mm2 cross-section electrode with length of 7.5mm thus
L/D aspect ratio of 50 as shown in fig. 6. It is clear from
the results that graphite electrodes are easily machined in
meso- micro scale and thus graphite can be esteemed as
ideal electrode material for meso-micro EDM. Removal
of the dust from the machined region is crucial to keep
machining stable. Also, better contour strategies are
required in existing CAM software for meso-micro scale
milling of graphite electrodes.
4.2. Meso-micro EDM
Recently several EDM equipment manufacturers have
offered zero wear technology which considerably
reduces tool wear in conventional die-sink EDM. In
current research, this technology has been implemented
successfully even in meso-micro EDM, solving one of
the biggest challenges for implementation of die-sink
EDM in this regime even with conventional machines
and electrode materials.
As shown in fig. 7, a turned graphite electrode having
diameter 0.62mm and length 20mm was used to machine
hot work steel 1.2343 in a hydrocarbon based dielectric
oil using maximum 5A pulse current and positive tool
polarity. The process technology was optimized such as
to have near zero frontal and lateral tool wear and thus
achieve better form accuracy at end of roughing step
with just one tool electrode. As shown in fig. 8, this
technology avoids vicious cycle of tool corner wear for
semi-finishing and finishing operations and thus
considerably reduces number of required tool electrodes.

Workpiece

(b)

#2

Tool
electrode
at end of
roughing,
semifinishing

Tool
electrode
at end of
finishing

#1

#2

Workpiece

Workpiece

Workpiece

End desired
form in
work-piece

Workpiece

1 mm

Fig. 8. (a) Effect of low or zero frontal and lateral tool wear technology
on final cavity and reduced number of required electrodes using multielectrode strategy. (b) Longitudinal cross section of machined cavity
after roughing step with single 0.7mmx0.7mm cross section graphite
electrode. Depth of erosion is 5mm and applied current is 3A.

20m

20m

Fig. 9. Left image is Secondary Electron scan highlighting topography

of carbon layer on graphite tool electrode. Right image is Back
Scattered Electron Diffraction showing bright sub-micron sized
metallic particles embedded in a dark region which is carbon.

Underlying mechanism of this low or zero wear

technology is carbon layer build-up mainly on the frontal
face of the electrode where most of the discharges take
place.

Maradia et al. / Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 00000

Fig. 10. Left: Rapid electrode movement in the eroded cavity and
eroded particles causing abrasion of electrode faces. Right:
Hydrodynamic effect during spark as a possible cause for wear.

Also, hi-speed imaging (20-50,000 fps) was

employed to observe the process in-mist (fig. 10 right)
and in-liquid dielectric which revealed cloud build-up
and gas bubble - shock waves respectively suggesting
strong hydrodynamic forces in discharge region which
may also be contributing to tool wear.
The process originated pyrolytic graphite layer on the
electrode is mostly harder than the original graphite
electrode material [15] whereas embedded metal
particles are measured to be 10 to 30 times harder which
sustains the difficult erosion conditions and prevents
wearing away of the base electrode material. The type
and structure of carbon depends mainly on involved
temperature and pressure [16], which can be controlled
by EDM process parameters [17]. In terms of modelling
this effect, pyrolysis of hydrocarbon is complex and still
not fully understood [18] since it involves a very large
number of possible reactions and chains of reactions
occurring in their breakdown such as ionization,
dissociation, dissociative ionization, dissociative

recombination, charge exchange reactions with hydrogen

[19]. Carbon deposits during EDM are observed to be of
a hemispherical nature, suggesting cathodic deposits
mentioned by Koprinarov et al. [20].
Total Energy E = EE + EW + ED
= U I Ton
ED

% energy

As shown in fig. 9, this discharge plasma formed

layer consists of carbon embedded with sub-micron
sized metal particles ejected during the process from
workpiece material [12] and was confirmed using
Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The
carbon layer formation as mentioned by Mohri et al. [13]
mainly contains turbostratic structure where Iron,
Nickel, Chromium, etc. act as a catalyst for carbon
precipitation [14]. The carbon layer is a decomposition
product from hydrocarbon based dielectric through
pyrolysis occurring during the discharge plasma. It has
been observed that lateral wear resulting in conical shape
of electrode after certain depth of erosion is mainly
caused by the flushing cycles used to remove debris
from discharge region at every 0.2-1 second interval and
rapid movement of the electrode (about 10m/s) in the
eroded cavity building high pressure gradients. The
eroded particles gaining this momentum would cause
abrasion of the faces of the electrode as shown in fig. 10.

EW
EE
Pulse duration
Fig. 11. Energy balance over pulse duration of spark from few
microseconds after dielectric breakdown till 150s, qualitatively
inferred from the process outputs.

Since the power supplied in the discharge gap is

dependent on current, discharge voltage and pulse
duration; the supplied constant energy is mainly divided
into three main components of energy dissipation into:
electrode (EE), workpiece (EW) and dielectric (ED) as
shown in fig. 11. The energy dissipating into dielectric is
mainly used for plasma channel expansion through
hydrocarbon decomposition at boundary layer. The
energy balance information and involved mechanisms
can then be used to shape pulses to achieve optimum
results e.g. low initial current can be applied to reduce
EE and sudden increase in applied current a few microseconds after discharge breakdown to benefit from high
EW, resulting in low tool wear and high material removal
rate (MRR). This energy balance is also affected by
material properties of anode-cathode and dielectric.
Melting temperature of workpiece material seems to
have high influence on material removal rates whereas
specific heat of workpiece material has been currently
identified as having high impact on carbon build-up
process. Difficult to machine materials such as Titanium
alloys (TiAl6V4), Nickel alloys (Inconel 718, Inconel
738LC),
powder
metallurgy
stainless
steel
(X170CrVMo18-3-1), hot work steel (1.2343, 1.4435),
etc. have been machined successfully with zero or low
wear technology using graphite electrodes in mesomicro scale EDM.
5. Conclusion and Outlook
Considering significance of machining requirements
for miniaturized products, die-sink EDM technology was
successfully implemented in meso-micro machining
offering high productivity, form accuracy-precision,
lower energy-resource requirements and lower overall

Maradia et al. / Procedia CIRP 00 (2011) 000000

costs; that too without any additional need of apparatus,

materials, processes or skills. Using conventional
electrode materials such as graphite and copper having
good machinability, various difficult to machine
materials such as titanium alloys, nickel alloys, hot work
steels, stainless steels and powder metallurgy steels can
be ED-Machined with high accuracy and precision in
meso-micro scale (meso: 10mm2-1mm2, micro: <1mm2 /
<1mm) having high aspect ratios (L/D>10) and complex
shapes (circular, polygonal, etc.). Clearly, outstanding
performance of meso-micro EDM is incomparable to
currently
available
alternative
micro-machining
techniques.

[5] Uhlmann E., Piltz S., Doll U., Machining of micro/miniature

dies and moulds by electrical dischage machining recent
development, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 167; 2005,
p. 488-493
[6] Yuangang W., Fuling Z., Jin W., Wear-resist electrodes for
micro-EDM, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics 22; 2009, p. 339-342
[7] Uhlmann E., Roehner M., Investigations on reduction of tool
electrode wear in micro-EDM using novel electrode materials, CIRP
Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology 1; 2008, p. 92-96
[8] Bissacco G., Hansen H., Tristo G., Valentincic J., Feasibility of
wear compensation in micro EDM milling based on discharge counting
and

discharge

population

characterisation,

CIRP

Annals

Manufacturing Science and Technology 60; 2011, p. 231-234

[9] Pal D., Mukherjee S., Wear studies in precision machining of

As further steps, the lower limit of micro EDM will

be pushed further from current limit of surface area
0.1mm2 down to 0.05mm2 or smaller. Here, due to its
advantages to machine multiple features on single
graphite electrode, surface adaptive technology will be
generated [21] in order to offer ability to machine
macro-meso-micro scale structures on single electrode
with high material removal rate while incurring lower
tool electrode wear. Also, another open aspect is
Nanometrology of precision meso-micro machined parts,
dies and moulds; which is extremely difficult with
currently available instruments due to involved smaller
dimensions and high aspect ratios.

graphite, Precision Engineering, Vol 1-1; 1979, p. 33-37

[10] Schroeter R., Kratochvil R., Gomes J., High-speed finishing
milling of industrial graphite electrodes, Journal of Materials
Processing Technology 179; 2006, p. 128-132
[11] Yang Y-K., Chuang M-T., Lin S-S., Optimisation of dry
machining parameters for high-purity graphite in end milling process
via design of experiments methods, Journal of Materials Processing
Technology 209 ; 2009, p. 4395-4400
[12] Murray J., Zdebski D., Clare A.T., Workpiece Debris
Deposition on Tool Electrodes and Secondary Discharge Phenomena
in Micro-EDM, Journal of Materials Processing Technology,
Available online 8 March 2012
[13] Mohri N., Suzuki M., Furuya M., Saito N., Electrode wear
process in electrical discharge machining, Annals of the CIRP Vol.
44/1; 1995, p. 165-168

Acknowledgements

[14] Marafona J., Black layer characterisation and electrode wear

ratio in electrical discharge machining (EDM), Journal of Materials

The Authors wish to acknowledge the financial

support by the Swiss Commission of Technology and
Innovation (CTI). The first author would also like to
thank personnel at Agie Charmilles SA for their support.
The author also acknowledges support by the Electron
Microscopy Center of the ETH Zurich (EMEZ),
especially Dr. K. Kunze and finally Mr. J. Boos (Inspire
AG) for machining electrodes.

Processing Technology 184; 2007, p. 27-31

[15] Gutnajer L., Cast graphite electrodes for EDM applications,
US Patent 3,619,286; 1971
[16] De Fonton S., Oberlin A., Inagaki M., Characterisation by
electron microscopy of carbon phases (intermediate turbostratic phase
and graphite) in hard carbons when heat-treated under pressure,
Journal of Materials Science 15; 1980, p. 909-917
[17] Kunieda M., Kobayashi T., Clarifying mechanism of
determining tool electrode wear ratio in EDM using spectroscopic
measurement of vapor density, Journal of Materials Processing

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