Abstract
Titanium alloys are difficult to machine using conventional metal cutting methods due to their low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity. This study explores the new multi-channel discharge machining of Ti-6Al-4V using silicon electrodes, leveraging their internal resistivity to generate potential differences for multi-channel discharges. To investigate the underlying machining mechanism, the equivalent circuit model was developed and a theoretical simulation was carried out. Comparative experiments with silicon and conventional copper electrodes under identical parameters were also conducted to analyze discharge waveforms, material removal rate, surface quality, and heat-affected zones (HAZ). The results demonstrate that the bulk resistance of silicon is the main mechanism for generating multi-channel discharges. This process efficiently disperses the discharge energy of the single discharge pulse, resulting in smaller craters, smoother machined surfaces, and shallower recast layers and HAZ.