Abstract: A resistance model of interelectrode dielectric fluid in wire electrical discharge machining(WEDM) was established. And the relationship among machining energy, electrical conductivity and thickness of a workpiece was analyzed. The resistance model of interelectrode dielectric fluid was verified by experiments. The results show that with the higher electrical conductivity or the thickness of workpiece, the larger the interelectrode leakage current is during discharge, the more the energy loss in the interelectrode dielectric fluid, the lower the machining efficiency. Cutting efficiency is obviously influenced by the change of the resistance which is due to the change of electrical conductivity.

Key words: wire electrical discharge machining(WEDM), dielectric fluid, dielectric properties, electrical conductivity, discharging energy