Use of vegetable oils as dielectric fluids for electrical discharge machining. A case study.

Electrical discharge machining with solid electrodes represents an efficient solution to generate blind cavities with complex geometry. Vegetable oils represent an alternative to conventional dielectrics, which are considered harmful for the environment and human health. This study tested the feasibility of two widely used vegetable oils, sunflower and soybean, under intense machining of three alloys with application in aeronautic industry, aiming for high process productivity and a good surface quality.