Real-time data acquisition and discharge pulse analysis in controlled RC circuit based Micro-EDM

• Published in: Microsystem technologies : sensors, actuators, systems integration actuators, systems integration, 2023-03, Vol.29 (3), p.359-376
• Main Authors: Raza, S., Nadda, R., Nirala, C. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electronics and Microelectronics; Engineering; Instrumentation; Mechanical Engineering; Nanotechnology; Technical Paper
• ISSN: 0946-7076; 1432-1858
• DOI: 10.1007/s00542-023-05432-x

Owing to the non-isoenergetic discharge pulses in an RC-based micro-electrical discharge machining (µEDM) process, the unit material removal analysis is difficult. It requires a robust discharge pulse acquisition and monitoring system to capture, process and record live discharge data. Effective acquisition and monitoring of discharge pulses need an experimental diagnosis in real-time. The present work proposes a technology to monitor the discharge pulses of a controlled RC-based µEDM in real-time. Signals, while being acquired through various sensors, are processed in NI LABVIEW-based data acquisition (DAQ) system. Extensive virtual instrumentation is performed to categorize the discharge pulses in contributing, semi-contributing and non-contributing towards material removal, through an in-house developed pulse discrimination system (PDS). The developed PDS is simultaneously used to estimate the real-time discharge energies of individual pulses and their histograms with the machining progress. The acquired information from the developed PDS is used to justify the variations in discharge energy, material removal, and tool wear, with increasing machining depth. The PDS has shown the potential of predicting the conventionally unpredictable real-time unit volume removal during the process, which may be considered an important tool to meet the current industrial demands for remote access and monitoring of the process.