Electronic depth controller for EDM apparatus
AssigneeRaycon Corporation
InventorsJohn R. McGregor, Gary F. Rupert, Thomas M. Kennedy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic depth controller is associated with EDM apparatus for controlling the depth of holes which are machined in workpieces by the EDM apparatus. The electronic depth controller comprises its own microprocessor which acts upon selectable input data from a control panel to provide signals relating to hole depth control to the main control system of the EDM apparatus. The electronic depth controller is selectively operable to one or the other or both of two operating modes. Data relating to each mode is input to the system via switches on the control panel.
Claims18
In EDM apparatus for machining at least one hole in a workpiece via at least one electrode mounted on a holder, said EDM apparatus comprising means for advancing and retracting said holder and at least one electrode in unison toward and away from the workpiece, means for refeeding the at least one electrode on the holder, a main control system for controlling the advance and retraction of said holder and at least one electrode relative to the workpiece and for controlling machining operations, and a depth control system operatively associated with said main control system, said depth control system comprising sensor means providing a signal referenced to a reference datum and indicative of relative position of the holder to the workpiece in the direction of advancement and retraction, the improvement in said depth control system which comprises input means for presetting an initial amount of travel for said holder in the direction of advancement at the beginning of a machining operation, said input means including means for presetting an increment of travel for said holder in the direction of advancement subsequent to the initial amount of travel in the direction of advancement, a data register for depth limit data, means for comparing the data contents of said data register with said sensor means signal, and operating means comprising means for loading said data register with the initial amount of travel preset by said input means and for causing the holder to advance said initial amount of travel at the beginning of a machining operation, means operable upon completion of said initial amount of advance to execute a sub-cycle, said last-named means comprising means for causing a refeeding of the at least one electrode, means for updating the data contents of said data register by the increment of travel set by said input means and for thereafter causing the holder and the refed at least one electrode to advance to the updated depth limit, and means for causing said sub-cycle to be repeatedly executed a given number of times.
In EDM apparatus for machining at least one hole in a workpiece via at least one electrode mounted on a holder, said EDM apparatus comprising means for advancing and retracting said holder and at least one electrode in unison toward and away form the workpiece, means for refeeding the at least one electrode on the holder, a main control system for controlling the advance and retraction of said holder and at least one electrode relative to the workpiece and for controlling machining operations, and a depth control system operatively associated with said main control system, said depth control system comprising sensor means providing a signal referenced to a reference datum and indicative of relative position of the holder to the workpiece in the direction of advancement and retraction, the improvement in said depth control system which comprises input means for presetting both an initial amount of travel to be traversed by said holder in the direction of advancement at the beginning of a machining operation and another increment of travel to be traversed by said holder in the direction of advancement subsequent to its traverse of the initial amount of travel in the direction of advancement, a data register for depth data, means for comparing the data contents of said data register with said sensor means signal, and operating means for depth control of a machining cycle including means operable at the beginning of a cycle for loading said data register with the initial amount of travel preset by said input means and for causing the holder to advance said initial amount of travel, and means operable during the conclusion of a cycle for causing the execution of one or more sub-cycles comprising a refeeding of the at least one electrode, an updating of the data contents of said data register by said another increment of travel, and an advancement of the holder and the refed at least one electrode to the updated depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.