Material removal mechanisms and transition effects in electric arc mechanical combination machining of GH4169 nickel-based alloy

Electric arc machining (EAM) is an effective means of efficiently manufacturing GH4169 nickel-based alloy aerospace components. However, thermal defects lead to significant degradation of surface quality and accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes a combined process of EAM and mechanical machining to realize efficient and high-quality machining of GH4169 nickel-based alloy. Firstly, the significance of parameters affecting EAM machining efficiency and surface quality is verified through orthogonal experiments, and the optimal parameter combinations for individual indicators are determined. The influence mechanism of mechanical tools to remove thermal defects of EAM was investigated under the expectation of maximum material removal rate (MRR). The results show that the tool cut into the maximum recast layer thickness can be based on the complete removal of the recast layer without leading to significant elemental migration and grain changes. At the same time, it does not trigger a drastic increase in the feed resistance and back force of the tool. This highlights the application potential of the combined EAM and mechanical process for efficient and high-quality machining of GH4169 nickel-based alloy.