Sahu Anshuman Kumar, Mahapatra Siba Sankar, Martin André, Schubert Andreas, Leite Marco, Peças Paulo
IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela, India.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):22667. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07020-7.
Rapid tooling (RT) has evolved into an emerging area in the field of manufacturing for fabricating tools potentially reducing machining time and cost allowing higher levels of geometric freedom. In this work, the application of RT technique in electrical discharge machining (EDM) has been explored. RT tools fabricated by micro stereo-lithography (micro-SLA) are coated with thick copper coatings by electroless metallization and electroplating to be used during EDM to machine 304 L stainless steel work piece material. The performance of the RT tools is compared with massive copper tool results considering output performance measures like material removal rate, tool wear rate, surface roughness, and surface crack density. The machined work piece surfaces and tool surfaces are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The proposed RT tools have shown a higher material removal rate than the conventionally used massive copper tool. In addition, micro-cracks formed on the machined surfaces using RT tools are comparatively less. Nevertheless, the RT tools have higher tool wear rate and higher surface roughness on the machined surfaces as compared to the massive copper tool.
快速成型模具（RT）已发展成为制造领域的一个新兴领域，用于制造模具，有可能减少加工时间和成本，并允许更高程度的几何自由度。在这项工作中，探索了RT技术在电火花加工（EDM）中的应用。通过微立体光刻（micro-SLA）制造的RT工具通过化学镀和电镀涂覆厚铜涂层，以便在电火花加工期间用于加工304L不锈钢工件材料。考虑到诸如材料去除率、工具磨损率、表面粗糙度和表面裂纹密度等输出性能指标，将RT工具的性能与整体铜工具的结果进行了比较。使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和能量色散X射线光谱仪（EDX）对加工后的工件表面和工具表面进行了分析。所提出的RT工具显示出比传统使用的整体铜工具更高的材料去除率。此外，使用RT工具在加工表面上形成的微裂纹相对较少。然而，与整体铜工具相比，RT工具在加工表面上具有更高的工具磨损率和更高的表面粗糙度。
