Advanced Electrochemical Discharge Machining and Process Optimization for Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract Composite and non-conductive materials are machined using an advanced technology known as electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM). This paper investigates the machinability of an aluminum 6061 alloy reinforced with boron carbide (B4C) and silicon carbide (SiC) HMMCs. It investigates how voltage, electrolyte concentration, and pulse-on and pulse-off periods affect the Material Removal Rate (MRR). An ANOVA (analysis of variance) revealed that the most significant factor was voltage (F-value = 36.61, P-value = 0.004), followed by pulse-on time (Pon), with electrolyte concentration and pulse-off time (Poff) having little impact. Regression analysis (adjusted R² = 74.18%) demonstrated model dependability. Increasing the voltage and pulse-on time enhances MRR, machining efficiency, and stability. This paper presents a statistically proven optimization strategy for aerospace and automotive applications.