Machining by electrical removal of materials utilizing dispersions of insoluble particles
AssigneeEltron Research, Inc.
InventorJames H. White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of machining the surface of an electrically conductive workpiece by application of a voltage to an electrically conductive tool spaced apart from the workpiece and moving the tool to shape or pattern the workpiece wherein variable flow of fluid is provided in the space between the tool and the workpiece. The fluid contains suspended insoluble interactive particles that are electrically conductive or are ionically conductive, but electronically insulating. The suspended particles came intermittent electrical short circuiting between the tool and the workpiece to prevent catastrophic and uncontrolled sparking or arcing during machining.
Claims22
A method of machining a surface of an electrically conductive workpiece comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a tool having an electrically conductive body;
- b. positioning said tool opposite said workpiece with a spacing gap therebetween;
- c. connecting said tool and said workpiece to a DC power source such that said tool is cathodic and said workpiece is anodic;
- d. providing a channel through which a liquid flow;
- e. causing said liquid to flow through said channel and between said tool and said workpiece;
- f. suspending insoluble electrically conductive solid particles in said liquid to form a slurry wherein the concentration of particles in said slurry, the size of said particles, the composition of said particles, the velocity of said slurry, the size of said channel, the spacing between said tool and said workpiece and the temperature of said slurry is such to cause intermittent electrical short circuiting between said tool and said workpiece;
- and
- g. machining said workpiece by moving said tool in a selected fashion relative to said workpiece.
A method of machining a surface of an electrically conductive workpiece comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a tool having an electrically conductive body;
- b. connecting said tool and said workpiece to a power source such that the tool and workpiece are electrodes of opposite charge;
- c. positioning said workpiece and said tool with a spacing gap, therebetween;
- d. providing a variable flow of liquid comprising suspended soluble interactive particles which are electrically conductive solid particles to said gap between said tool and said workpiece;
- and
- e. machining said workpiece by applying said voltage and moving said tool in a selected fashion relative to said workpiece such that said workpiece is shaped or patterned;
- wherein a critical concentration of particles is generated within the spacing gap between said tool and said workpiece such that direct conduction of electrons can occur between said tool and said workpiece thereby causing intermittent electrical short circuiting between said tool and said workpiece when a voltage is applied from said power source to said tool and workpiece.
A method of machining a surface of an electrically conductive workpiece comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a tool having an electrically conductive body;
- b. connecting said tool and said workpiece to a power source such that the tool and workpiece are electrodes of opposite charge;
- c. positioning said workpiece and said tool with a spacing gap therebetween;
- d. providing a variable flow of an electrolyte-free solvent comprising suspended insoluble interactive particles which are ionically conductive, but electronically insulating, to said gap between said tool and said workpiece;
- and
- e. machining said workpiece by applying said voltage and moving said tool in a selected fashion relative to said workpiece such that said workpiece is shaped or patterned;
- wherein the size of the ionically conductive particles ranges from 10 .ANG. to 10,000 .ANG. and wherein a critical concentration of particles is generated within the spacing gap between said tool and said workpiece such that direct conduction of electrons or ions, or both can occur between said tool and said workpiece thereby causing intermittent electrical short circuiting between said tool and said workpiece when a voltage is applied from said power source to said tool and workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.