Abstract:
A novel EDM method is disclosed in which a gas such as compressed air is dissolved in a water liquid to form a solution which is pumped into the machining gap formed between a tool electrode and a workpiece. An EDM power supply provides a succession of electrical discharges across the gap through the supplied solution to electroerosively remove stock from the workpiece with the decomposition of oxygen and hydrogen gases from the water liquid. The dissolved gas in the solution is liberated in the machining gap upon exposure to the electrical discharges to add to these gases, thereby increasing the electroerosive stock removal. The gas is dissolved into the water in an amount of at least 20% by volume of the oxygen and hydrogen gases normally decomposed from the water liquid by the electrical discharges. An apparatus for executing the method includes a pressure chamber traversed by the pumped flow of the water liquid and having a gas supply inlet through which the compressed gas is introduced for solubilization in the water liquid. The region of the machining gap is preferably enclosed in a second pressure chamber maintained under a superatmospheric pressure to limit the spontaneous liberation of the dissolved gas from the water liquid.
Abstract:
Apparatus for supplying a working fluid and a wire electrode to a wire region of a wire-cut electrical discharge machine comprising a housing supported by a support member and having opposed aligned openings through which a wire electrode is passed into operation association with a workpiece at the work region to be operated on by the electrode. A working fluid is supplied under pressure into the housing and the working fluid passes through a nozzle supported in the housing against the workpiece. The nozzle is positioned in the housing to surround the wire electrode which travels therethrough and it projects from the housing to discharge the working fluid against the workpiece at a gap formed therewith. A guide die is supported in the housing to guide the wire electrode through the housing and the nozzle. Electrical energy is supplied to the wire electrode before it enters the housing and a second nozzle is supported by the housing to discharge working fluid against the electrical supply system to cool the same.
Abstract:
A traveling-wire electroerosive machining method and apparatus in which a pressure created by and accompanying electrical machining discharges and tending to deflect the traveling electrode wire away from a straight line path defined between a pair of wire-guide members is compensated for by the machining fluid controlled both as to its direction and pressure. The apparatus shown includes a first sensor for sensing an angularity of the prescribed cutting path advanced by the traveling electrode wire to produce a first signal and a second sensor for sensing the electroerosive machining current passing between the electrode wire and the workpiece to produce a second signal. A control system is designed to maintain, in response to the first signal, the direction of supply of the machining fluid towards a region of the cutting gap immediately behind the advancing electrode wire, thereby laterally forcing the electrode wire against the said pressure tending to deflect while controlling the pressure of supply of the machining fluid in response to the second signal so as to counterbalance the pressure tending to deflect with the controlled fluid supply pressure, whereby to bring the electrode wire substantially into alignment with the aforesaid straight line path.
Abstract:
A high-hardness and high-strength carbon material is produced by disposing a body of graphite carbon, e.g. precompacted graphite or a mass of powdery graphite carbon, of a predetermined shape and dimension in a collapsible receptacle shaped and dimensioned to tightly retain the body therein, the receptacle being collapsible at least one-dimensionally under external pressure while holding the body against expansion. High pressure is applied to the body while the body is heated to an elevated temperature and for a sufficient period such as to cause a central region of the body to be liquefied and the remainder thereof to be sintered. While under continuous pressure, the body is cooled to give in carbon material.
Abstract:
An EDM method and apparatus wherein a localized magnetic field is produced so as to be concentrated at least predominantly on a region of the EDM gap which constitutes only a limited portion of a preselected entire area of juxtaposition between the tool and workpiece electrodes. The region of concentration of the localized magnetic field is successively shifted to sweep it over the entire area of juxtaposition between the electrodes. A control device is provided to control at least one parameter of production and sweeping of the localized magnetic field in response to at least one process parameter of the EDM process.
Abstract:
An EDM method utilizing an improved tool electrode made of a sintered carbonaceous body consisting essentially of 50 to 90% graphitized carbon and the balance nongraphitized carbon uniformly distributed therein. The body may be prepared by sintering a mass of graphitized carbon particles and nongraphitized carbon particles mixed uniformly together in an optimum proportion under pressure. During sintering, the mass may be compressed bi-axially but is preferably tri-axially or isostatically compressed. The carbonaceous body of the invention may be prepared by sintering together graphitized carbon particles and a predecessor of the nongraphitized carbon, by sintering a uniform mixture of a predecessor of graphitized carbon and a predecessor of nongraphitized carbon. The predecessor of nongraphitized carbon is advantageously constituted by phenol and/or furan.
Abstract:
An EDM method and apparatus in which a continuous DC voltage is applied across the EDM gap via a first switch held conductive, and a stray capacitance distributed in the supply circuit including the EDM gap is recurrently charged and discharged to produce successive electrical discharges between the tool electrode and the workpiece. A gap sensor monitors the magnitude of high-frequency signals contained in the successive discharges and, when the sensed magnitude falls below a threshold level, provides a trigger signal which is used to turn on a second switch connected across the EDM gap in parallel with the DC source to short-circuit the EDM gap, thereby terminating the successive discharges. The conducting second switch serves to discharge the residual charge on the stray capacitance and prevents charge build-up thereon. Then the first switch may be turned off. The time interval in which the gap is free from current flow continues until the first switch is turned on following the turn-off of the second switch. The cycle is repeated.
Abstract:
An improved electrode and method for electroerosion machining both of traveling-wire type wherein an elongate element having a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm is axially displaced to form a traveling-wire machining electrode therefrom. The traveling-wire machining electrode is juxtaposed with a workpiece across a machining gap flooded with a machining liquid issuing from a jet and a machining current from a source is passed between the electrode and the workpiece to electroerosively machine the latter. Gaseous bubbles formed by the electrical decomposition of the machining liquid tend to be adherent on the machining surface of the electrode and thus act as a thermal insulator between the electrode and the coolant machining liquid. The elongated element is formed with a rugged peripheral surface along a length thereof to facilitate the detachment of the gaseous bubbles from the machining surface of the electrode. Various ways of producing the rugged peripheral surface are described, e.g. by forming projections and recesses in a regular pattern on a cylindrical wire surface; twisting together a group of small diameter wires; winding a small diameter wire on a large diameter core wire; and forming a spiral groove in the smooth surface of a wire by means of a rotating die.
Abstract:
An inverter-type power supply circuit for electrical machining comprising a plurality of AD-DC-HF-DC (PULSE) inverters jointly connected between a common source of commercial alternating current and a single electrical machining gap. A common pulsing means is provided for the individual switches in these plural inverter circuits for providing thereto in unison a succession of time-spaced groups (Ton, Toff) of elementary signal pulses to provide across said gap concurrent occurring channels of time-spaced groups (Ton, Toff) of elementary machining pulses (.tau.on, .tau.off) which channels are superimposed upon one another across the machining gap. The plural inverter circuits include individual high-frequency transformers each of which, or a portion of which, has a plurality of settings for transforming the original voltage to a desired output voltage level which settings are selectively established to selectively establish the desired voltage and current characteristics of the superimposed elementary machining pulses in time-spaced groups.
Abstract:
A method of and apparatus for electrodepositing a metal onto a workpiece wherein an electric potential is applied between an anodic electrode and the cathodic workpiece in the presence of an electrodepositing solution. A narrow thermal light beam is directed onto the workpiece and intercepted by a localized area thereon to activate an interface between the area and the electrodepositing solution. The metal in the solution is thereby electrodeposited selectively on that localized area. The beam and the workpiece are relatively displaced to successively shift the area of interception of the beam until a desired surface region on the workpiece is electrodeposited. Preferably, the thickness of the solution traversed by the beam incident upon the localized area is limited not to exceed a preselected dimension. The apparatus preferably comprises a mirror for reflecting the beam from a source thereof which is fixed in position onto the workpiece and a drive unit for displacing the mirror to achieve the required displacement of the incident beam relative to the workpiece. A lens is disposed in the optical path for the beam and the position thereof is controlled to maintain its focal plane coincident with the beam-intercepting localized area.