ORIGINAL ARTICLE Parametric optimization and surface analysis of diamond grinding-assisted EDM of TiN-Al 2 O 3 ceramic composite R. Baghel 1 & H. S. Mali 1 & S. K. Biswas 1 Received: 31 January 2017 /Accepted: 27 February 2018 /Published online: 14 March 2018 # Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Diamond grinding-assisted electro-discharge (DGAED) machining is a hybrid machining process which can be used to improve the material removal rate (MRR) for the difficulty to machine materials like superalloys, ceramics, and composites. The main aim of this paper is to develop a model for DGAED machining of titanium nitride-aluminum oxide (TiN-Al 2 O 3 ) ceramic composite for predicting MRR. TiN-Al 2 O 3 ceramic composite finds industrial application due to its properties like high resistance to abrasion wear, chemical stability, hardness, and low friction coefficient. The characteristic features of DGAED machining of the TiN-Al 2 O 3 ceramic composite are explored through response surface methodology (RSM) for face-centered central com- posite rotatable design (CCRD) with seven-center-point scheme. Wheel speed (S), peak current (I), pulse on time (t on ), and duty factor (DF) are taken as control factors while MRR is taken as the performance parameter. The experimental results for MRR are analyzed and regression equation for material removal rate is obtained. The surface topography shows that melting and thermal spalling are primary material removal mechanisms. Microcracks and micropores are found diminished on the machined surface and MRR is improved as the wheel rotation speed increased. Keywords Hybrid . EDM . Diamond grinding . Ceramic composite . RSM . SEM 1 Introduction Designing the machining parameters and study of the material removal mechanism of ceramics are potential research areas because of an increase in the demand of various ceramics and their characteristic problems related to machining. Ceramics have widespread applications in different areas like automo- bile, metal matrix composites, medical prostheses, dentistry, and electronic devices. A classification of advanced ceramics with their applications is given in Fig. 1. Unique properties of ceramics as high hardness, toughness, and chemical inertness are because of ionic bonds and molecular structure. Ceramics can be used at a very high temperature as compared to metals, but full-scale applications of these ceramics are always inhibited as they are difficult to machine. Advanced materials like ceramics, alloys, and composites are used for complex design requirements like high precision and good surface quality. Advanced ceramics are developed to meet the indus- trial requirements by controlling microstructure for improve machinability. But manufacturing industries are facing chal- lenges for machining these advanced materials in terms of machining processes as well as machining cost. Diamond grinding is one of the most commonly used methods for ma- chining the ceramics. Not only this method is costly and inefficient, but also the high hardness of ceramics induces higher grinding force that leads to quick wear of diamond cutting edges [1]. While machining by diamond grinding, the strength degradation of ceramics also takes place due to the surface and subsurface crack generation. Traditional machining processes have limitation to machine complex shapes like a turbine blade, complex cavities like die molds, circular and curved holes, low rigidity structures, and micromechanical components with tight tolerances and good surface finish. Expensive equipment, tooling, and high processing time make conventional machining process economically unviable [2]. This paper is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled “Parameter Optimization of Diamond Grinding Assisted EDM of TiN- Al 2 O 3 Ceramics Using Taguchi Method (AIMTDR-415)” presented at AIMTDR-2016 from December 16–18, 2016, at COEP, Pune, India. * H. S. Mali harlal.singh@gmail.com 1 Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur 302017, India The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (2019) 100:1183–1192 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-018-1842-z