Method of discharge coating and an apparatus therefor

A discharge coating apparatus comprising:

• a base including upstanding columns;
• a table movably mounted on said base and including means for supporting a member onto which a coating layer is to be applied;
• first travelling means for moving said table;
• a cross beam slidably supported by said columns;
• second travelling means for moving said cross beam along said columns;
• at least one machining head comprising a carriage supported by said cross beam for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of said table;
• electrode attaching means on said carriage for supporting an electrode composed of the material to form the coating layer on said member, said electrode having a central longitudinal axis;
• electrode vibrating means for vibrating said electrode attaching means along the longitudinal axis of the electrode;
• means for rotating said electrode attaching means about an axis of rotation to apply an additional motion to said electrode attaching means in a direction perpendicular to the direction of vibration thereof without obstructing the motion of said electrode attaching means;
• said electrode being devoid of material along said axis of rotation;
• and current pulse to said electrode to effect discharge coating of said member by the material of said electrode while also supplying electrical power to said first and second travelling means, said electrode vibrating means and said means for applying additional motion to said electrode attaching means without obstructing the motion of said electrode attaching means;
• and
• controller means for controlling the motions of said first and second travelling means and said machining head such that said electrode undergoes a composite movement comprising said vibration along the longitudinal axis of the electrode together with said additional motion whereas said table is moved to cause a coating layer of the material of the electrode to be applied to said member.

A discharge coating apparatus comprising:

• a base including upstanding columns;
• a table movably mounted on said base and including means for supporting a member onto which a coating layer is to be applied;
• first travelling means for moving said table;
• a cross beam slidably supported by said columns;
• a second travelling means for moving said cross beam along said columns;
• at least one machining head comprising a carriage supported by said cross beam for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of said table;
• a motor attached to said carriage and including an output shaft having an axis of rotation;
• electrode attaching means connecting an electrode thereof;
• elastic means connecting said electrode attaching means to the output shaft of said motor such that the electrode attaching means is driven in rotation around said axis of rotation of said output shaft;
• electrode vibrating means for vibrating said electrode attaching means, said electrode being devoid of material along said axis of rotation;
• and current supplying means for supplying a current pulse to said electrode to effect discharge coating of said member by the material of said electrode while also supplying electrical power to said motor and said electrode vibrating means without obstructing the motion of said electrode attaching means;
• and
• controller means for controlling the operations of said first and second travelling means and said machining head such that said electrode undergoes a composite movement comprising said vibration along the longitudinal axis of the electrode together with said rotational motion whereas said table is moved to cause a coating layer of the material of the electrode to be applied to said member.

A discharge coating apparatus comprising:

• a bed;
• a cross table movably mounted on said bed and including means for mounting a member onto which a coating layer is to be applied;
• travelling means for moving said cross table;
• a column upstanding on said bed;
• an arm supported by said column;
• a head comprising a housing supported by said arm for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of said cross table;
• a motor attached to said housing, said motor including an output shaft having an axis of rotation;
• elastic means;
• a vibrating stem having a longitudinal axis, said stem being attached by said elastic means to the output shaft of said motor for rotation therewith around said axis of rotation;
• electrode attaching means on said stem for supporting an electrode composed of the material to form the coating layer on said member, said electrode being supported in said electrode attaching means and being devoid of material along said axis of rotation of said output shaft;
• vibrating means for applying vibration to said vibrating stem along its longitudinal axis without obstructing rotation of the vibrating stem;
• and current supplying means for supplying a current pulse to said electrode while also supplying electrical power to said motor and said vibrating means without obstructing the motion of said vibrating stem;
• and
• controller means for controlling the operations of said travelling means and said head.

Apparatus for forming a coating layer on the surface of a member to be coated, said apparatus comprising means for supporting a member onto which a coating layer is to be applied, means for supporting, in confronting relation with said member, an electrode composed of the material of the coating layer to be applied to said member, means for providing relative movement between said electrode and said member which movement is composed of a reciprocal movement of the electrode towards and away from said member and an additional movement at an angle to said reciprocal movement such that the electrode periodically contacts and moves away from the surface of the member at an acute angle relative thereto, means for supplying electrical energy to said electrode during at least a portion of the periods of contact between the electrode and the surface member to cause melt adherence of the material of the electrode on the surface of the member, and means for providing further relative movement between the electrode and said member in a direction along the surface of the member to be coated so as to extend the melt adherence of the material of the electrode along a given region of the surface of the member, said reciprocal movement being perpendicular to the surface of the member to be coated and said additional movement being perpendicular to said reciprocal movement;

• said further relative movement being parallel to the surface of said member, said additional movement being a rotational movement of a rotational speed of 500 to 6000 rpm about an axis parallel to the direction of reciprocal movement between the electrode and the member, said electrode having a longitudinal axis and being devoid of material along the axis of rotational movement.

Apparatus for forming a coating layer on the surface of a member to be coated, said apparatus comprising means for supporting a member onto which a coating layer is to be applied, means for supporting, in confronting relation with said member, an electrode composed of the material of the coating layer to be applied to said member, means for providing relative movement between said electrode and said member which movement is composed of a reciprocal movement of the electrode towards and away from said member and an additional movement at an angle to said reciprocal movement such that the electrode periodically contacts and moves away from the surface of the member at an acute angle relative thereto, means for supplying electrical energy to said electrode during at least a portion of the periods of contact between the electrode and the surface member to cause melt adherence of the material of the electrode on the surface of the member, and means for providing further relative movement between the electrode and said member in a direction along the surface of the member to be coated so as to extend the melt adherence of the material of the electrode along a given region of the surface of the member, said reciprocal movement being perpendicular to the surface of the member to be coated and said additional movement being perpendicular to said reciprocal movement;

• said further relative movement being parallel to the surface of said member, said additional movement being a rotational movement of a rotational speed of 500 to 6000 rpm about an axis parallel to the direction of reciprocal movement between the electrode and the member wherein said electrode slides on the surface of said member due to said additional motion during a period of time when the electrode is in contact with the surface of said member for at least 10 .mu.m, said electrode having a longitudinal axis and being devoid of material along the axis of rotational movement.