Effect of tool feed rate and tool rotation speed on the microchannel geometry of AA6063-SiC composites machined by micro ED milling

Miniaturisation of products is an emerging trend in the current scenario. Conventional micromachining of metal matrix composites poses difficulties due to the heterogeneous nature of the material and the presence of hard reinforcement particles. Micro-electric discharge machining has emerged as a proficient method for the precision machining of challenging materials. In this work, micro-ED milling of AA6063–4 wt. % SiC composite was carried out using a graphite electrode. Being the primitive unit of 3D machining, microchannels were machined on the workpiece at different discharge energies, tool feed rates, and tool rotation speeds. The geometrical features of the channel such as channel width, kerf width, taper of the microchannels, and process indicators like tool wear rate and material removal rate were studied. The 6 µm/s tool feed rate, 500 rpm tool rotation speed, and 500 µJ discharge energy provided the desired results for the studied responses.