Electro discharge machining apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9333577-B2
Application number	US-20116708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2008
Priority date	Aug 29, 2008
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

An electro discharge machining apparatus comprises an electrode configured to machine a desired feature in a workpiece, a pulse generator configured to energize the electrode and the workpiece to opposite electrical polarities, a machining solution source configured to pass a machining solution between the electrode and the workpiece, and a servomotor configured to drive the electrode to move relative to the workpiece. The electro discharge machining apparatus further comprises at least one detection element configured to detect machining signals, and a controller. The controller controls the pulse generator and the servomotor to machine the workpiece according to a plurality of first process parameters predetermined therein and analyzes the detected machining signals to generate a first response signal to activate a plurality of second process parameters predetermined therein and different from the first process parameters to machine the workpiece. An electro discharge machining method is also presented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electro discharge machining apparatus, comprising:
an electrode configured to machine a desired feature in a workpiece;
a pulse generator configured to energize the electrode and the workpiece to opposite electrical polarities;
a machining solution source configured to pass a machining solution between the electrode and the workpiece;
a motor configured to drive the electrode to move relative to the workpiece;
at least one detection element configured to detect machining signals;
a controller configured to control the pulse generator and the motor to machine the workpiece according to a plurality of first process parameters predetermined therein and to analyze the detected machining signals to generate a first response signal to activate a plurality of second process parameters predetermined therein and different from the first process parameters to machine the workpiece;
wherein the controller comprises a signal-receiving module for receiving the machining signals, a processing module for analyzing the received machining signals from the signal-receiving module to generate the first response signal, and a process parameter module storing the first and second predetermined process parameters;
wherein the desired feature in the workpiece comprises a through hole; and
wherein the controller is configured to operate in accordance with an electro discharge machining process comprising a touch-in stage, a normal machining stage, and a breakthrough stage.

2. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is inclined relative to the workpiece.

3. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electro discharge machining apparatus further comprises one or more of a position detection element, a voltage detection element, and an electrical detection element for detecting the machining signals of the electrode position, and the machining signals of the voltage and the electrical current between the electrode and the workpiece, respectively.

4. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first process parameters are predetermined for the touch-in stage and the second process parameters are predetermined for the normal machining stage, wherein the process parameter module further stores third process parameters predetermined for the breakthrough stage.

5. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the third process parameters are different from the first and second process parameters.

6. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processing module generates a second response signal for activating the third process parameters.

7. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processing module generates a third response signal for ending the breakthrough stage.

8. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first, second, and third response signals are sent back to the signal-receiving module from the processing module, and the signal-receiving module outputs the received first, second, and third response signals to the process parameter module.

9. The electro discharge machining apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detection element comprises at least an electrical current detection element, and the electro discharge machining apparatus further comprises an amplifier disposed between the electrical current detection element and the signal-receiving module.

10. An electro discharge machining method, comprising:
driving an electrode to move relative to a workpiece;
passing an electric current between the electrode and the workpiece while circulating a machining solution therebetween to machine a desired feature in the workpiece according to a plurality of first process parameters;
detecting machining signals during an electro discharging operation; and

receiving and analyzing the detected machining signals to generate a first response signal to activate a plurality of second process parameters different from the first process parameters to machine the workpiece;
wherein the desired feature comprises a through hole; and
wherein the electro discharge machining operation comprising a touch-in stage, a normal machining stage, and a breakthrough stage, the first and second process parameters are predetermined for the touch-in stage and the normal machining stage respectively, and wherein the breakthrough stage is machined according to a plurality of third predetermined process parameters.

11. The electro discharge machining method of claim 10 , wherein the electric current comprises a pulse current.

12. The electro discharge machining method of claim 10 , wherein the machining signals comprises one or more of signals of electrode position and signals of voltage and electrical current between the electrode and the workpiece.

13. The electro discharge machining method of claim 10 , wherein the third process parameters are different from the first and second process parameters.

14. The electro discharge machining method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a second response signal for activating the third process parameters.

15. The electro discharge machining method of claim 14 , further comprising generating a third response signal for ending the breakthrough stage.

Assignees

• Li Peng
• Wei Bin
• Xu Huiya
• Gleason Mark Joseph
• Allison William Charles
• Wessels Jeffrey Francis
• Zurawka John Fitzgerald
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Li Peng
• Wei Bin
• Xu Huiya
• Gleason Mark Joseph
• Allison William Charles
• Wessels Jeffrey Francis
• Zurawka John Fitzgerald

Classifications

• B23H9/14

  Making holes · CPC title

• B23H7/20 Primary

  for program control, e.g. adaptive · CPC title

• B23H7/30

  Moving electrode in the feed direction (B23H7/32 takes precedence) · CPC title