Electric heating – Metal heating – Cutting or disintegrating
Patent
1995-08-14
1998-06-16
Evans, Geoffrey S.
Electric heating
Metal heating
Cutting or disintegrating
B23H 110
Patent
active
057674736
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an electric discharge machine and method which uses a tool electrode to perform electric discharge machining on a workpiece. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electric discharge machine and method which use a machining fluid in which a powder is mixed into an oil-based dielectric fluid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, electric discharge machines include a work tank which contains the workpiece, a fluid supply device which supplies a dielectric fluid such as kerosene to the work tank, and a power supply which supplies power to the space between the tool electrode and the workpiece known as the "gap". Electric discharge machining occurs at the gap, in work tank which is filled with the dielectric fluid. Technology is known whereby, for the purpose of improving surface roughness, a powder material composed of a semiconductor such as polycrystal silicon, or a good electric conductor such as aluminum or graphite, or an inorganic oxide or inorganic carbide, with a particle diameter of between 1.mu.m and 50.mu.m, is mixed into the dielectric fluid. On electric discharge machines which make use of such powder-bearing fluids, a fluid supply device is provided which can, in accordance with the intended purpose of machining, selectively supply either powder-bearing fluid or non-powder-bearing fluid. Such electric discharge machines generally also require two additional devices.
First, a device is provided which separates machining waste produced by electric discharge machining from the powder-bearing fluid. For example, a large specific-gravity centrifugal separator may be provided for this purpose. Also, a device containing a magnetic material is provided in an appropriate part of the fluid supply device, such as the fluid reservoir tank or fluid circulation path.
Second, because it is important from the standpoint of machined surface quality and machining performance to maintain the concentration of powdered material in the dielectric fluid in the work tank at a specified concentration, a device is provided which prevents settling of the powdered material. Typically an agitator is provided in the work tank to agitate the fluid.
The agitator prevents the settling of powdered material by agitating the fluid in the work tank, but at the same time it inhibits the settling of machining chips produced by the machining process. The agitator can also cause machining chips which had settled to become resuspended in the fluid. As a result, the machining chips suspended in the fluid can enter the machining area, where it will have undesirable effects on the electric discharge machining process.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electric discharge machine and method which reliably removes machining chips suspended in the fluid by the agitator.
Other purposes, advantages, and new characteristics of the present invention are partially discussed in the explanation which follows below, and will be partially apparent to practitioners of the art upon consideration of the explanation below, or practitioners of the art will be able to learn of these through application of the invention. The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be realized and achieved by the means and instrumentalities set forth in the appended claims.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the above purposes, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, an electric discharge machine, which machines a workpiece by generating an electric discharge across a gap formed between a workpiece and a tool electrode, both of which are positioned in a work tank filled with a dielectric fluid into which a powdered material is mixed. The electric discharge machine includes an agitator, which agitates the dielectric fluid and prevents the settling of powdered material in the fluid, and a magnetic adsorption device, which is positioned in the work tank and which adsorbs machining chips produced by the electric discharge machining process.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3477948 (1969-11-01), Inoue
patent: 4387286 (1983-06-01), Inoue
patent: 4392042 (1983-07-01), Inoue
patent: 4408113 (1983-10-01), Inoue
patent: 4551602 (1985-11-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5243168 (1993-09-01), Wada et al.
Evans Geoffrey S.
Sodick Co. Ltd.
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