Automated Laboratory Setup for the Development of Methods for Electrical Discharge Machining of Metals

Electrical discharge machining of metals and alloys finds application in many fields of science and engineering, enabling targeted manipulation of their structure and properties. Specifically, studies have reported the potential to improve corrosion resistance, heal micro-and macrocracks, and reduce springback during sheet metal stamping. Despite the numerous applications of electrical discharge machining, scientific debate continues regarding the physical nature of the interaction of high-density electric current with defects in the crystalline structure of metallic materials. This necessitates experimental studies using model specimens, such as wires or plates. This paper presents an overview of existing technical solutions for improving the experimental framework for studying electrical discharge machining of metals using wire specimens and describes a unique laboratory setup developed by the authors. The presented laboratory setup automates the measurement and collection of all process parameters, which accelerates the process and improves the reliability of measurements by eliminating the human factor.