A computational investigation of ultrasonic vibrations in Ti-6Al-4V micro-EDM using finite element simulation

Purpose This study presents a finite element analysis (FEA) approach to simulate and evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasonic vibration–assisted micro-electrical discharge machining (US-µ-EDM) of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Design/methodology/approach In US-µ-EDM, the horn plays a critical role in efficiently transmitting the vibrations to the workpiece; therefore, FEA of the ultrasonic horn was conducted to determine its natural frequency and the desired axial vibration mode. The numerical model was further extended to predict crater size and morphology, allowing for a comparison of machining performance in terms of material removal rate (MRR) with and without ultrasonic vibration. Furthermore, the influence of key process parameters on the thermal behavior and MRR was analyzed under both vibration and non-vibration conditions. Findings This study numerically demonstrates that ultrasonic vibration significantly enhances the material removal characteristics, addressing the industrial need to improve the productivity of micro-EDM in machining hard-to-cut alloys. The simulated MRR results were validated against published experimental data, showing high accuracy and consistency. Originality/value This numerical study provides practical insights for selecting optimized input parameters for vibration-assisted hybrid micro-EDM of Ti-6Al-4V. The proposed numerical approach serves as a useful framework for understanding the mechanism of ultrasonic-assisted micro-EDM in precision manufacturing applications involving titanium and other low-machinability aerospace materials.