Applications of acoustic mapping in electrical discharge machining

Abstract The spatial distribution of discharges in electrical discharge machining (EDM) comprises valuable process information, which is not accurately obtained from electrical signals that are utilized extensively for process monitoring and control. This research hence explored the application of acoustic emission (AE) to map the discharges, in consideration of the acoustic time lag. In particular, the work refers to realistic process conditions, wherein AE from successive discharges cause repeated signal interference, which is detrimental to reliable time lag estimation. The applications of this capability for the respective identification of electrode length and workpiece height in fast-hole EDM and wire EDM are presented.