Wire electric discharge machine
OwnerDaniel J. Reedinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wire electric discharge machine (WEDM) and method of cutting a work piece. The WEDM having a movable support plate for supporting one or more work pieces thereon and for moving one or more work pieces into the proper position for a cutting operation. Process information is recorded and compared to predetermined operating parameters and tolerances to determine deviations therefrom and adjustments are automatically made to the cutting operation to correct such deviations.
Claims9
A wire electric discharge machine for performing a cutting operation to a work piece comprising:
- a wire electrode;
- a work piece electrode;
- a support plate for supporting more than one work piece and for placing each work piece in position for cutting and wherein said support plate is made from an electrical conducting metal and said work piece electrode is electrically connected to said support plate
- a cutting control unit;
- wherein said cutting control is operable to control the movement of said support plate;
- and
- wherein said support plate is operable to raise or lower, tilt, and rotate the work piece during the cutting operation.
A method of performing a cutting operation on one or more work pieces using a wire electric discharge machine, the cutting operation comprising the steps of:
- inputting cutting information and parameters into a cutting control unit;
- inputting process information for each work piece into the cutting control unit;
- placing one or more work pieces onto a support plate;
- attaching a work piece electrode to one or more work pieces such that the one or more work pieces to be processed are electrically connected to the work piece electrode;
- moving the support plate to align, orient, and position one of the one or more work pieces for the cutting operation;
- begin the cutting operation on the work piece;
- moving the support plate to change the alignment and orientation of the work piece during the cutting operation;
- rotate the work piece for removal from the support plate and rotate a another one of the one or more work pieces into position for the cutting operation.
A method for performing a cutting operation on one or more work pieces using a wire electric discharge machine, the cutting operation comprising the steps of:
- designing a cutting profile;
- inputting the cutting profile into a cutting control unit;
- developing process tolerances;
- loading the process tolerances into the cutting control unit;
- positioning one of the one or more work pieces in position relative to a wire electrode;
- entering identifying indicia of the one work piece into the cutting control unit;
- performing a cutting operation on the one work piece;
- monitoring the process information relating to the cutting operation;
- comparing the process information with the designed cutting profile and process tolerances and identify any deviations;
- adjusting the work piece position and orientation to compensate for deviations;
- continuing performing the cutting operations;
- and
- identifying and recording any deviations that remain outside the process tolerances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.