US 4,242,559 AGranted

Method and apparatus for the electro-erosive machining of workpieces with automatic threading of the electrode

AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft

InventorsHans Roemer, Klaus-Peter Steil

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Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed for the automatic treatment of workpieces with the aid of numerically controlled wire erosion machines. When an end point of a contour is reached during the treatment process, the drive and guide system for the wire-like or strip-like electrode is disconnected and beneath the workpiece the electrode is clamped by means of two feed rollers and provided with a groove by a grooving device. Then the upper drive device is switched on again and the electrode is broken off at the groove point. Following the positioning of the workpiece, the beginning of the electrode is threaded into the new starting bore of the contour by means of the two feed rollers, is gripped by a gripper following the workpiece, and is fed to the upper drive device.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for the electro-erosive treatment of workpieces with wire-like and strip-like electrodes wherein the path of relative movements between the workpiece and the electrode is controlled by means of an electronic control system, and wherein the wire-like or strip-like electrode is guided by guide means on a feed side of the workpiece and fed by a clamp and feed device means into a starting bore of a contour which is to be provided in the workpiece, and wherein the electrode is thrust through the starting bore by the clamp and feed device means until the electrode is brought into an active connection with a drive means at a delivery side of the workpiece by use of a gripper means, comprising the steps of:

stopping the drive means when an end point of a contour is reached and clamping the electrode only on the feed side by actuating the clamp and feed device means to clamp the electrode at a clamping point on the feed side of the workpiece only;
grooving the electrode with a grooving device comprising an anvil surface and cooperating grooving edge between the clamping point and the workpiece;
starting the drive means and during forwards movement of the electrode the electrode is broken off by pulling at the groove and simultaneously stretched to become stiffer;
positioning a starting bore for a next contour to be eroded by means of the electronic control system;
threading the end of the electrode into the new starting bore and advancing it beyond the workpiece to a distance which has been established prior to the processing by use of the clamp and feed device means;
gripping the end of the electrode with the gripper means and supplying it to the drive means;
and when the end of the electrode has been gripped by the drive means a processing of the workpiece in the new contour is continued.

4 more elements

A device for the electro-erosive treatment of a workpiece with an electrode, comprising:

(a) a guide means positioned at a feed side of the workpiece for guiding the electrode towards the workpiece;
(b) a drive means positioned at a delivery side of the workpiece for pulling the electrode which passes through the workpiece at the location of a contour to be eroded;
(c) a clamping and feed device means on the feed side of the workpiece for selectively clamping to the electrode at a clamping point and feeding the electrode in a direction toward the workpiece;
(d) a grooving device means for grooving the electrode between the clamping point and the workpiece;
and
(e) gripper means for gripping the electrode between the workpiece and the drive means for pulling the electrode to break and stretch it after grooving and also to supply the end of the electrode to the drive means during feeding.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.