Abstract
In micro electric discharge machining, the machinability can be improved by vibrating the electrodes. However, the mechanism of vibration assisted EDM has not been clarified due to the difficulties in direct observation of the discharge area. In this study, we investigate the effect of vibration methods on machining efficiency and electrode wear by direct observation of the discharge region through a glass plate, As a result, we found that in z-direction vibration, which has been widely used in small-hole EDM, discharge is concentrated at the center of the workpiece, while by using zx vibration, the discharge distribution becomes uniform with a high material removal rate.
