Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation

Die-sinking Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a manufacturing process for fabricating complex geometries in challenging applications. However, its energy-intensive nature and complex parameter interactions pose challenges in balancing productivity, sustainability, and electrode wear. This stud...

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Main Authors: Sunil Kumar Maurya, Gianni Campatelli, Massimo Veracini, Massimo Arcioni, Dario Clori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Machines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/6/469
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author Sunil Kumar Maurya
Gianni Campatelli
Massimo Veracini
Massimo Arcioni
Dario Clori
author_facet Sunil Kumar Maurya
Gianni Campatelli
Massimo Veracini
Massimo Arcioni
Dario Clori
author_sort Sunil Kumar Maurya
collection DOAJ
description Die-sinking Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a manufacturing process for fabricating complex geometries in challenging applications. However, its energy-intensive nature and complex parameter interactions pose challenges in balancing productivity, sustainability, and electrode wear. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption and electrode degradation in EDM. Utilizing an advanced experimental setup with real-time energy monitoring, this study investigated the trade-off between machining parameters, energy efficiency, and electrode wear. The study employed a simple and standardized electrode geometry and varied EDM parameters, such as discharge current and pulse duration. The obtained results clearly demonstrated that optimizing EDM machining parameters, particularly discharge current, significantly influenced machining efficiency and electrode wear. Specifically, employing high-current settings of 140 A substantially reduced the total machining time from approximately 33 h (at conservative settings of 40 A) down to around 3.5 h, achieving nearly a tenfold improvement. Moreover, it also led to a reduction in specific energy consumption (SEC), decreasing from 0.81 Wh/mm<sup>3</sup> at the low current (40 A) to 0.19 Wh/mm<sup>3</sup> at the higher current (140 A), underscoring a definitive inverse relationship between discharge current and energy consumption. The study outcomes provide practical guidelines for enhancing the operational efficiency and sustainability of EDM in advanced manufacturing sectors.
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spelling doaj-art-53fa685e7ae2407aa92055c964501b9f2025-08-20T02:21:07ZengMDPI AGMachines2075-17022025-05-0113646910.3390/machines13060469Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode DegradationSunil Kumar Maurya0Gianni Campatelli1Massimo Veracini2Massimo Arcioni3Dario Clori4Industrial Engineering Department, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50139 Firenze, ItalyIndustrial Engineering Department, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50139 Firenze, ItalyBaker Hughes SRL, 50127 Firenze, ItalyBaker Hughes SRL, 50127 Firenze, ItalyBaker Hughes SRL, 50127 Firenze, ItalyDie-sinking Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a manufacturing process for fabricating complex geometries in challenging applications. However, its energy-intensive nature and complex parameter interactions pose challenges in balancing productivity, sustainability, and electrode wear. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption and electrode degradation in EDM. Utilizing an advanced experimental setup with real-time energy monitoring, this study investigated the trade-off between machining parameters, energy efficiency, and electrode wear. The study employed a simple and standardized electrode geometry and varied EDM parameters, such as discharge current and pulse duration. The obtained results clearly demonstrated that optimizing EDM machining parameters, particularly discharge current, significantly influenced machining efficiency and electrode wear. Specifically, employing high-current settings of 140 A substantially reduced the total machining time from approximately 33 h (at conservative settings of 40 A) down to around 3.5 h, achieving nearly a tenfold improvement. Moreover, it also led to a reduction in specific energy consumption (SEC), decreasing from 0.81 Wh/mm<sup>3</sup> at the low current (40 A) to 0.19 Wh/mm<sup>3</sup> at the higher current (140 A), underscoring a definitive inverse relationship between discharge current and energy consumption. The study outcomes provide practical guidelines for enhancing the operational efficiency and sustainability of EDM in advanced manufacturing sectors.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/6/469electrical discharge machining (EDM)energy consumptionelectrode degradationmachining parametersmaterial removal rate (MRR)specific energy consumption (SEC)
spellingShingle Sunil Kumar Maurya
Gianni Campatelli
Massimo Veracini
Massimo Arcioni
Dario Clori
Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
Machines
electrical discharge machining (EDM)
energy consumption
electrode degradation
machining parameters
material removal rate (MRR)
specific energy consumption (SEC)
title Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
title_full Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
title_fullStr Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
title_full_unstemmed Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
title_short Balancing Productivity and Sustainability in EDM: A Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Consumption and Electrode Degradation
title_sort balancing productivity and sustainability in edm a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption and electrode degradation
topic electrical discharge machining (EDM)
energy consumption
electrode degradation
machining parameters
material removal rate (MRR)
specific energy consumption (SEC)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/6/469
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