Effect of electrical discharge machining on the characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites

This work investigated electrical discharge machining (EDM) of carbon fiber reinforced carbon composite material. The characteristics of composites ma chined by EDM were studied in terms of machining parameters. An empirical m odel of the composites was also proposed based on the experimental data. Th e composite material was produced by an electrical discharge sinker using a graphite electrode. The workpiece surface and resolidified layers were exa mined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, surface roughness wa s determined with a surface profilometer. Experimental results indicate tha t the extent of delamination, thickness of the recast layer, and surface ro ughness are proportional to the power input. The EDM process effectively pr oduces excellent surface characteristics and high quality holes in composit es under low discharge energy conditions. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishe rs.