Direct Measurement of Electrode Movement During Electrical Discharge Machining by Means of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller

Masahiko Kita; Tohru Ishida; Yoshimi Takeuchi

doi:10.20965/ijat.2010.p0552

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IJAT Vol.4 No.6 pp. 552-561

doi: 10.20965/ijat.2010.p0552

(2010)

Paper:

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Direct Measurement of Electrode Movement During Electrical Discharge Machining by Means of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller

Masahiko Kita, Tohru Ishida, and Yoshimi Takeuchi

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan

Received:

September 1, 2010

Accepted:

October 15, 2010

Published:

November 5, 2010

Keywords:

electrical discharge machining, discharge gap, measurement, bidirectional actuator, shape memory alloy

Abstract

This study deals with the development of a new method of directly measuring the movement of an electrode during normal electrical discharge machining (EDM) and the movement of an electrode during EDM by means of an automatic discharge gap controller (ADGC) devised by our research group. The ADGC, which mainly consists of a bidirectional actuator using a shape memory alloy (SMA) and an electrode and power supply for EDM, can sustain stable EDMby autonomously and automatically controlling the position of the electrode to keep the discharge gap appropriate. However, the movement of the electrode being controlled by the ADGC cannot be directly measured due to itsminute, high-speed, vibration-like movements inside the working fluid during EDM. This means that there is no way to prove that the ADGC actually controls the position of the electrode so as to maintain a suitable discharge gap for continuing stable EDM. This also means that there is no way to evaluate the movement of the electrode quantitatively and to design or optimize the structure of an ADGC so as to give the ADGC the desired or best performance. Therefore, a method to directlymeasure the electrodemovement by an ADGC is devised in this study. The results obtained in the measurement experiments using this method of measurement prove that the ADGC actually moves its electrode to achieve stable EDM, and they allow the movement of the electrode to be evaluated quantitatively.

Cite this article as:

M. Kita, T. Ishida, and Y. Takeuchi, “Direct Measurement of Electrode Movement During Electrical Discharge Machining by Means of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.4 No.6, pp. 552-561, 2010.

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References

[1] K. Furutani, N. Mohri, and T. Higuchi, “Direct Drive Method of EDM Electrode Utilizing Impulsive Force,” Proc. of 2nd Japan France Congress on Mechatronics, pp. 184-187, 1994.
[2] K. Furutani, N. Mohri, and T. Higuchi, “Self-running Type Electrical Discharge Machine Using Impact Drive Mechanism,” Proc. of IEEE/ASME 1st Int. Conf. on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, 1997.
[3] T. Ishida and Y. Takeuchi, “Development of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller Installed on a Microrobot with Electrical Discharge Machining Function for Machining Curved Holes,” Int. J. of Automation Technology (IJAT), Fuji Technology Press, Vol.4, No.6, pp. 542-551, 2010.

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] K. Furutani, N. Mohri, and T. Higuchi, “Direct Drive Method of EDM Electrode Utilizing Impulsive Force,” Proc. of 2nd Japan France Congress on Mechatronics, pp. 184-187, 1994.

[2] [2] K. Furutani, N. Mohri, and T. Higuchi, “Self-running Type Electrical Discharge Machine Using Impact Drive Mechanism,” Proc. of IEEE/ASME 1st Int. Conf. on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, 1997.

[3] [3] T. Ishida and Y. Takeuchi, “Development of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller Installed on a Microrobot with Electrical Discharge Machining Function for Machining Curved Holes,” Int. J. of Automation Technology (IJAT), Fuji Technology Press, Vol.4, No.6, pp. 542-551, 2010.