Performance analysis of wire-electrochemical discharge cutting of glass material

The present study investigated the feasibility of micro-cutting in glass material by using Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) Process. Glass possesses outstanding properties that make it a versatile with widely used in a diverse range of applications. Because of its tendency to fracture brittle during machining, glass is typically processed in its liquid or viscous state to manufacture precise and high-quality parts. Machining glass with good dimensional accuracy is a challenging task due to its fragile nature. Therefore, researchers have recognized the very appropriate technique for machining glasses with precision. The Wire-Electrochemical Discharge Machining (WECDM) has been identified as the most economical and efficient technique for fabricating micro slits in thin glass samples. In the present work, an in-house setup for WECDM was developed and the feasibility of the developed configuration was examined. Two different thicknesses of glass specimen have been considered for experimentation for checking the quality of cut and it is found that thinner specimen possesses good quality cut. The regression model has been developed to find a relationship between input and response parameters. The developed regression model was reasonably well fitted with the observed values where applied voltage 55V, 15% by wt. electrolyte concentration and 70% duty cycle were the most influencing parametric combinations among others. Further mixed electrolytes have shown excellent performance up to a certain concentration in terms of Material Removal Rate (MRR). This study reveals that optimal capillary action, influenced by surface tension and electrolyte concentration, is crucial for consistent sparking and efficient material removal in WECDM.