Surface structure, pore characteristics and mechanical response of aluminum foam processed by wire-EDM and milling

Material removal processes like milling, leave only a small process window to minimally distort the surface of Aluminum foams. Wire-EDM arises as a suitable alternative. Closed-cell aluminum foams were produced and processed at various conditions through wire-EDM to investigate their effect on the foams' surface integrity. Microstructural analysis, porosity assessment and mechanical testing were employed to evaluate the footprint of the manufacturing process. Depending on the process parameters and especially on the working fluid, severe surface and pores damage may occur, affecting the mechanical response under quasistatic and high-velocity impact loads. A process optimization loop offered a distortion-free surface.