Wire EDM with guide member changer

A machining center, comprising:

• an electroerosion machine including
• first means for accepting an electrode storage means for supplying a thin, continuous electrode element,
• second means for transporting the continuous electrode element supplied from the storage means into takeup means though an electroerosive machining zone to continuously renew an active, eroding surface of the electrode element traveling through the machining zone, and
• guide retention means for accepting and holding electrode guide means for imparting to a span of said active electrode surface a predetermined geometry in said cutting zone;
• electrode handling means forming a part of said electroerosion machine for unloading the continuous electrode element from said electrode guide means held by said guide retention means;
• a guide storage station for storing a plurality of electrode guide elements adapted to constitute said electrode guide means in a selected number of different forms for imparting to said span corresponding different geometries in said cutting zone;
• and
• guide transfer means operatively associated between said guide storage station and said machine for transferring from said guide retention means at least a portion of said electrode guide means to said guide storage station to replace therefor at least one preselected guide element in said guide storage station and thereafter for transferring the replaced at least one guide element and securing it to said guide retention means to constitute a varied form of said electrode guide means to permit said electrode element to be loaded thereon by said electrode handling means to establish a correspondingly varied geometry of said span of the traveling active electrode surface in the cutting zone in said electroerosion machine, said first means, second means and guide retention means remaining part of and located in said machine during operation of said guide transfer means.