Optimization of Process Parameters of Taper Cutting by WEDM Process of Al-SiC-ZrO2 Composite

Abstract

Wire Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM) is a precise machining method widely used for cutting intricate geometries in conductive materials. The present study investigates taper WEDM cutting of Al-SiC-ZrO2 composite material using three input parameters such as taper angle (TA), pulse-on time (TON), and peak current (IP) and their effects on machining response,angular error (AE), and cutting rate (CR). Further, the Taguchimethod with L9 orthogonal arrayemployed to design experiments efficiently. further, ANOVA and regression modeling were applied to analyze parameter impact, while multi-objective optimization was performed to determine feasible parameter sets. Results show that theTA and TON strongly influence AE, while IP governs surface roughness and productivity. Optimized parameters provide improved dimensional accuracy and machining efficiency, making WEDM more reliable for Al-SiC-ZrO2 composite applications in aerospace and automotive industries. Further SEM analysis revealed that higher discharge energy increased crater formation, recast layer thickness, and reinforcement particle dislodgement, while prolonged TON at low IP promoted distributed thermal damage and directional recast patterns.