Optimized Manufacturing of Microholes in Ceramic Materials by Dry Electrical Discharge Machining

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann
• Subject Area: Production Automation and Assembly Technology
• Term: from 2011 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 193137357

Due to its thermal working principle that allows a nearly force free machining independent of the working material´s mechanical properties Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a well established production technique for manufacturing micro holes. Especially when machining ceramics, a materialgroup that is predestined for the application within the field of micro technology, EDM comes more and more into action. However, the production of precise micro holes with complex geometries and high aspect ratios is often related to many difficulties. High electrode wear, small material removal rate andincreasing problems concerning flushing at high aspect ratios and small gap widths are limiting factors during the machining process.The continuous demand for an increasing productivity when manufacturing high-precision micro holes makes a constant optimization and adaptation of the drilling process mandatory. Goal of the intended scientific work is the investigation and application of specific technologies for highprecision manufacturing of micro holes in ceramic materials. At this, the research´s focus will be put on the application of methods to minimize the electrode´s wear and to increase the material removal rate.Therefore a dry EDM drilling technique to machine conductive ceramics is analyzed, including the processing of technical, technological and economical topics.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants