INVESTIGATION OF ELECTROEROSION MACHINING PERFORMANCE OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS PRODUCED USING STIR AND INDIRECT SQUEEZE METHOD

Abstract

In this study, metal matrix composite (MMC) materials were made with an aluminum matrix (AA7075 alloy) and reinforcement silicon carbide (SiC) elements using molten metal stir and indirect squeeze casting. SiC was used as a reinforcing element in the making of MMC material in different amounts (10%, 14%, and 18%) by mass. Electro Discharge Machining (EDM), cut depth (0.5 mm), three different pulse-on times, three different discharge current values, and a fixed pulse-off time (20 s) were used to machine MMC materials. The effects of machining parameters on machining time, average surface roughness, hole diameter, and material wear difference after machining were studied. As a result of the study, the composite material with 75 [Formula: see text]s pulse-on time, 6A current value, and 10% reinforcement element had the lowest machining time, the largest hole diameter, and the smoothest average surface. These machining parameters and materials also had the shortest machining time (5 min). Based on the signal-to-noise ratios, the best parameters for average surface roughness, hole diameter, Processing time, and material wear amount (MMC, discharge current value, and impact time) were found to be [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], respectively. Based on the ANOVA results, the [Formula: see text] values for the average surface roughness, hole diameter, machining time, and material wear loss value were 99.3%, 98.7%, 77.8%, and 97.3%, respectively.