Slot fabrication by electrical discharge machining
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorRichard L. Seely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is set forth for slotting a workpiece by utilizing an EDM-wire cutting method wherein detrimental effects of an intrinsic slot taper produced by EDM wire cutting are compensated for and averaged out by alternating the direction of the wire entrance and exit along adjacent slots formed in the workpiece.
Claims23
A method of forming slots in a workpiece utilizing a wire cutting electrical discharge machining process which comprises:
- providing a workpiece having a surface for forming slots therein;
- cutting by wire electrical discharge machining a plurality of spaced-apart slots along one direction across at least a portion of said surface of said workpiece;
- rotating said workpiece 180 degrees;
- then cutting by wire electrical discharge machining a plurality of slots across at least a portion of said surface along a direction parallel to said one direction;
- and,
- cutting said slots formed after rotating said workpiece 180 degrees, in spaced-apart portions of the workpiece between the slots cut prior to rotating said workpiece.
A method of cutting slots in a workpiece by a wire cutting electrical discharge machining process in such a manner to overcome deleterious effects of slot taper intrinsically formed by such process which comprises:
- providing a workpiece with a surface to be slotted, said surface having at least one pair of opposite sides;
- wire electrical discharge cutting a plurality of rows of slots across a portion of said surface;
- and,
- sequencing the wire electrical discharge cutting of said slots such that a wire entry point of each slot alternates between adjacent rows of slots.
A method of forming discharge slots in an extrusion die for extruding honeycomb structures with virtually no deleterious bow effects, which comprises:
- providing a die blank having a surface to be provided with discharge slots;
- wire electrical discharge machining a first plurality of slots across a portion of said surface;
- and,
- alternating the point of entry of the electrical discharge machining wire forming each adjacent slot from one side of said surface to an opposite side.
A die for extruding cellular material comprising:
- a die body having a discharge face;
- a plurality of rows of slots formed in said discharge face;
- alternate rows of said plurality of slots having a given slot width adjacent one side of said discharge face;
- and,
- slot rows between said alternate rows having a narrower slot width than said given slot width adjacent said one side of said discharge face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.