Development of Whirling Electrical Discharge Texturing on Inner Surface of Small Hole

Abstract

The tribological characteristics of sliding parts can be controlled by creating a microstructure on their surface. However, the effect of microstructures on the surface of a small hole of an inner sliding part or a hardened part has not been investigated. Thus, an efficient method, electrical discharge texturing (EDT) was previously developed to create a microstructure using a single discharge. In this study, whirling electrical discharge texturing (whirling EDT: WEDT) was developed as a method of creating microstructures on the inner surface of small holes and mechanical parts made of high-hardness materials. It was examined whether the WEDT equipment can be used to texture the inner surface of small holes and high-hardness materials. In addition, the fundamental characteristics of WEDT were studied. It was verified that, it is possible to create microstructures via the whirling phenomenon and single discharge of WEDT. The shape and texture-area ratio can also be controlled by WEDT, where the texture-area ratio is controlled by varying the feed speed.

Keywords

• whirling phenomenon
• single discharge
• whirling electrical discharge texturing
• microstructure
• crater diameter
• texture-area ratio