An overview of techniques for monitoring and compensating tool wear in micro-electrical discharge machining

Micro-electrical discharge machining (μEDM) is severely affected by tool wear and its process variants, which can lead to compromised precision and dimensional disruptions in micro-part production. Several attempts have been made to address this problem by suggesting offline and online (real-time) tool wear compensation strategies. Research efforts in this area have intensified over the last 20 years. However, most methods proposed were applicable only for a few work-tool combinations and in limited input process parametric settings. Instead of tool wear compensation, several research articles have focused on strategies to reduce the negative impact of tool wear on the quality of fabricated parts. The present study systematically reviews various investigations conducted in this area and aims to add cutting-edge compensation for tool wear to future inquiries. The articles reviewed here are explored in detail. Critical findings/innovations are classified into four categories: tool wear in μEDM, tool wear compensation techniques, and offline and online compensation methods.