COMPOUND ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING APPARATUS AND SMALL-HOLE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING MODULE THEREOF

• US 20120138576A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Metal Industries Research and Development Centre
• Original Assignee: Metal Industries Research and Development Centre
• Inventors: Chuang, Yin
• Application Number:
  US12/982,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/69.12
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/02 Wire-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/102 Automatic wire threading
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/105 Wire guides
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 9/14 Making holes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a compound electrical discharge machining (EDM) apparatus, which combines a small-hole EDM module and a wire-cut EDM apparatus and hence having the functions of small-hole and wire-cut EDM simultaneously. Thereby, in the compound EDM apparatus, a workpiece can be first processed by the small-hole EDM and subsequently by the wire-cut EDM without repositioning. Accordingly, automatic processing can be achieved. The inability of full automation in wire-cut EDM machines owing to lack of small-hole EDM functionality is improved.

Claims

1. A compound electrical discharge machining apparatus, comprising:

a wire-supplying module, supplying a wire electrode;

a guiding tube, located below said wire-supplying module, and passed by and guiding said wire electrode;

a transmission module, located below said guiding tube, and transmitting said wire electrode passing through said guiding tube;

a top wire guide, located below said transmission module, corresponding to said guiding tube, and said transmission module transmitting said wire electrode to thread through said top wire guide;

a processing platform, located below said top wire guide, and carrying a workpiece;

a power module, connecting to said wire electrode and said workpiece, supplying power to said wire electrode and said workpiece for performing small-hole electrical discharge machining and forming a through hole in said workpiece, and said wire electrode threading through said workpiece;

a bottom wire guide, located below said processing platform, corresponding to said top wire guide, and said transmission module driving said wire electrode threading through said workpiece to thread through said bottom wire guide; and

a wire-retrieving module, disposed below said bottom wire guide, and retrieving said wire electrode threading through said bottom wire guide;

where said electrode threads through said through hole in said workpiece and said bottom wire guide, and said power module supplies power to said wire electrode and said workpiece for performing wire-cut electrical discharge machining.

2. The compound electrical discharge machining apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a heating module, heating said wire electrode, said transmission module clipping and fixing one end of said wire electrode, and said wire-supplying module retrieving said wire electrode for straightening said wire electrode.

3. The compound electrical discharge machining apparatus of claim 2, wherein said heating module further comprises:

at least a heating element, contacting said wire electrode; and

a heating power module, coupled to said heating element, and supplying power to said heating element for heating said wire electrode.

4. The compound electrical discharge machining apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission module includes a wheel set, comprising:

a first transmission wheel, located below said guiding tube; and

a second transmission wheel, located below said guiding tube and corresponding to said first transmission wheel, said wire electrode passing through said guiding tube clipped between said first transmission wheel and said second transmission wheel, and said first transmission wheel and said second transmission wheel clipping and driving said wire electrode to thread through said top wire guide.

5. The compound electrical discharge machining apparatus of claim 4, wherein said transmission module further includes a guiding base, disposed between said wheel set and said top wire guide, having a guiding channel, and said wheel set driving said wire electrode to pass through said guiding channel to said top wire guide.

6. A small-hole electrical discharge machining module, comprising:

a guiding tube, passed by and guiding a wire electrode;

a transmission module, located below said guiding tube, and transmitting said wire electrode passing through said guiding tube;

a wire guide, located below said transmission module, corresponding to said guiding tube, and said transmission module transmitting said wire electrode to thread through said wire guide; and

a power module, connecting to said wire electrode and a workpiece located below said wire guide, supplying power to said wire electrode and said workpiece for performing small-hole electrical discharge machining and forming a through hole in said workpiece.

7. The small-hole electrical discharge machining module of claim 6, and further comprising:

a reel module, reeling said wire electrode; and

a heating module, heating said wire electrode, said transmission module clipping and fixing one end of said wire electrode, and said reel module rolling and pulling said wire electrode for straightening said wire electrode.

8. The small-hole electrical discharge machining module of claim 7, wherein said heating module further comprises:

at least a heating element, contacting said wire electrode; and

a heating power module, coupled to said heating element, and supplying power to said heating device for heating said wire electrode.

9. The small-hole electrical discharge machining module of claim 6, wherein said transmission module includes a wheel set, comprising:

a first transmission wheel, driven to rotate by a driving module; and

a second transmission wheel, corresponding to said first transmission wheel, said first transmission wheel driving said second transmission wheel to rotate, said wire electrode clipped between said first transmission wheel and said second transmission wheel, and said first transmission wheel and said second transmission wheel clipping and driving said wire electrode to thread through said wire guide.

10. The small-hole electrical discharge machining module of claim 9, wherein said transmission module further includes a guiding base, disposed between said wheel set and said wire guide, having a guiding channel, and said wheel set driving said wire electrode to pass through said guiding channel to said top wire guide.