Whereas the efficiency of traditional cutting processes is limited by the mechanical properties
of the processed material and the complexity of the workpiece geometry, electrical
discharge machining (EDM) being a thermal erosion process, is subject to no such constraints.
The lack of correlations between the cutting rate, the surface finish and the physical
material parameters of this process made it difficult to use. This paper highlights the
development of a comprehensive mathematical model for correlating the interactive and
higher order influences of various electrical discharge machining parameters through
response surface methodology (RSM), utilizing relevant experimental data as obtained
through experimentation. The adequacy of the above the proposed models have been
tested through the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Optimal combination of these parameters
was obtained for achieving controlled EDM of the workpieces.