Aleksandr Mozhaev

Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) is a technology for processing electrically conductive materials that enables localized material removal through high-temperature plasma generated by continuous spark discharges between the tool electrode and the workpiece electrode. In recent years, researchers have focused particularly on enhancing the productivity of WEDM processes. Unlike other intensification methods, vibrational assistance represents a universal and technologically efficient solution. This review systematizes studies on WEDM involving the application of vibration, whether exerted on the wire electrode or the workpiece. It has been demonstrated that vibration significantly improves machining productivity and quality. The key mechanisms include enhanced dielectric fluid circulation and more efficient debris removal, often facilitated by cavitation effects that prevent material resolidification. This ensures discharge stability, reduces short circuits and wire breakage, and promotes a more uniform distribution of discharge points. As a result, the material removal rate (MRR) is increased, while surface roughness (Ra) is substantially reduced. Additionally, geometric accuracy is improved, residual stresses are minimized, and workpiece burning is prevented. Thus, vibration-assisted WEDM presents a promising solution for enhancing the efficiency and quality of machining difficult-to-cut materials.

In this study, the design of mixture experiments was used to find empirical models that could predict, for a first approximation, the relative density, flexural strength, Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of sintered composites in order to identify further areas of research in the Al₂O₃-TiB₂-TiC ternary system. The composites were obtained by spark plasma sintering (SPS) of these mixtures at 1700 °C, 80 MPa and a dwell of 3 min. The obtained experimental results were analyzed in the statistical analysis software Minitab 17, and then, different regression models were obtained for each property. Based on the selected models, contour plots were made in the Al₂O₃–TiB₂–TiC simplex for a visual representation of the predicted results. By combining these plots, it was possible to obtain one common zone in the Al₂O₃–TiB₂–TiC simplex, which shows the following combination of physical and mechanical properties for sintered samples: relative densities, flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of than 99%, 500 MPa, 18 GPa, and 7.0 МPa·m^1/2, respectively. For a first approximation in determining the further area of research, the obtained models describe well the behavior of the studied properties. The results of the analysis showed that the design of mixture experiments allows us to identify the most promising compositions in terms of mechanical properties without resorting to labor-intensive and financially expensive full-scale experiments. Our work shows that 10 different compositions were required for preliminary analysis.