This paper addresses modeling and optimization of process parameters for electrical discharge machining (EDM) being especially developed for difficult-to-machine materials such as Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloys. The important process variables considered in this study include current, voltage, pulse-on time, pulse-off time, and time on work. The main machining output characteristics in EDM are material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR). The relationships between these process inputs/outputs have been established using design of experiment (DOE) approach and mathematical modeling. The mathematical models were developed based on the data collected as per Taguchi's DOE matrix. Then, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique has been employed to verify adequacies of the proposed models. In the next step, optimization of EDM process parameters have been carried out using signal to noise (S/N) analysis. In this way, the process variables can be set at proper levels to obtain desired machining outputs. Computational results demonstrate that the proposed approach is quite efficient in modeling and optimizing such machining.

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