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12
Machining by Thermal Erosion
12.1 Introduction
Machining by thermal erosion involves the application of very intensive local
heat to remove the material by the melting and evaporation of small areas at
the workpiece surface. These processes include electrodischarge machining
(EDM), laser beam machining (LBM), electron beam machining (EBM), ion
beam machining (IBM), and plasma jet machining (PJM). Figure 12.1 shows
the main factors related to tool, workpiece, and parameters that control the
characteristics of the thermal machining processes.
12.2 Electrodischarge Machining
The history of EDM dates back to the days of World Wars I and II wh