The unconventional technology wire electrical discharge machining is a highly used technology for producing precise and indented shaped parts of all materials that are at least electrically conductive. Its wide use makes this technology applicable in almost all branches of industry, even in the automotive industry, where the abrasion resistant material under investigation Hardox 400 steel is widely used for the manufacturing of truck bodies. The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of the machinability of this material using WEDM employing a 33-round experiment. Based on the change in machine parameters (pulse off time, gap voltage, discharge current, pulse on time, and wire feed), the cutting speed, the topography of machined surfaces, and the chemical composition of the workpiece surface, the morphology and condition of the subsurface layer including lamella production and a subsequent determination of the distribution of individual elements in the given area were analyzed. It has been found that during the machining of this steel, many defects occur in the subsurface layer of the material in the form of cracks with a depth of up to 22 µm and burned cavities. However, by appropriately adjusting the machine parameters, it was possible to completely remove these cracks.
Keywords: WEDM; cavities; cracks; electrical discharge machining; hardox.