Method and apparatus for forming balls at the ends of wires

An apparatus for forming a ball on the end of a wire by electrical discharge between the wire and an electrode comprising:

• detecting means for detecting a discharge voltage and discharge current of an electrical discharge between an end of a wire having a diameter and an electrode;
• multiplying means for multiplying the discharge voltage by the discharge current for respective time intervals during the discharge to compute the heat energy supplied in the discharge during each time interval;
• integrating means for integrating the heat energies for the time intervals during a discharge to determine the total heat energy supplied to the discharge;
• comparing means for comparing the total heat energy with a predetermined heat energy for producing a ball on the end of the wire, the ball having a diameter of about two to three and one-half times the diameter of the wire;
• and
• controlling means for controlling at least one of the discharge voltage, current, and duration in accordance with the comparison and for terminating the discharge when the total heat energy reaches the predetermined heat energy, said integrating means including means for measuring the time from the initiation of the flow of the discharge current and for actuating said controlling means to terminate the electrical discharge after passage of a predetermined time interval from the initiation of the flow of the discharge current if the total heat energy has not reached the predetermined heat energy.

A method of forming a ball on the end of a wire by electrical discharge between the wire and an electrode comprising:

• extending in the direction of an electrode an end of a wire having a diameter;
• applying a voltage pulse between the electrode and the wire for initiating an electrical discharge between the electrode and the wire;
• applying a voltage signal between the electrode and the wire at the end of the pulse to sustain the discharge between the electrode and the wire;
• while the voltage signal is being applied, detecting and comparing the discharge voltage between the electrode and the wire to a lower threshold voltage;
• generating an alarm signal if the discharge voltage between the electrode and the wire is less than the lower threshold voltage, thereby indicating the absence of a discharge;
• detecting the discharge voltage across and discharge current flowing between the wire and the electrode in the discharge;
• multiplying the discharge voltage by the discharge current for respective time intervals during the discharge to compute the heat energy supplied in the discharge during each time interval;
• integrating the heat energy for the time intervals during the discharge to determine the total heat energy supplied during the discharge;
• comparing the total heat energy with a predetermined heat energy that produces a ball on the end of the wire, the ball having a diameter of about two to three and one-half times the diameter of the wire;
• and
• controlling at least one of the discharge voltage, current, and duration in accordance with the comparison and terminating the discharge when the total heat energy reaches the predetermined heat energy.