Electrical discharge machining system having independent electrodes

An electrical discharge machining (EDM) system comprising:

• a guide structure;
• a plurality of electrode devices positioned at least partially within the guide structure, the plurality of electrode devices aligned to provide a plurality of electrical discharges to a workpiece, each of the plurality of electrode devices including:
• an electrode for positioning proximate the workpiece;
• an electrode holder coupled to the electrode for holding the electrode proximate the workpiece;
• and
• a driver coupled to the electrode holder, the driver adapted to modify a position of the electrode holder and the electrode;
• at least one sensor for detecting a position of an electrode relative to the workpiece in the plurality of electrode devices;
• a machine ram coupled to the guide structure and a back plate coupled to the guide structure, the back plate at least partially supporting the driver in each of the plurality of electrode devices;
• and
• a control system operably connected with the driver, the control system configured to provide instructions to the driver of at least one of the plurality of electrode devices to modify a position of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes independently of at least one other one of the plurality of electrodes based upon the detected position of the electrode.

An electrical discharge machining (EDM) system comprising:

• a guide structure;
• a machine ram coupled to the guide structure;
• a plurality of electrode devices positioned at least partially within the guide structure, the plurality of electrode devices aligned to provide a plurality of electrical discharges to a workpiece, each of the plurality of electrode devices including:
• an electrode for positioning proximate the workpiece;
• an electrode holder coupled to the electrode for holding the electrode proximate the workpiece;
• and
• a driver coupled to the electrode holder, the driver adapted to modify a position of the electrode holder and the electrode;
• at least one sensor for detecting a position of an electrode relative to the workpiece in the plurality of electrode devices;
• a back plate coupled to the guide structure, the back plate at least partially supporting the driver in each of the plurality of electrode devices;
• a control system operably connected with the driver, the control system configured to provide instructions to the driver of at least one of the plurality of electrode devices to modify a position of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes independently of at least one other one of the plurality of electrodes based upon the detected position of the electrode;
• and
• a set of independent power supplies connected with each of the plurality of electrode devices such that a loss of power to one of the plurality of electrode devices does not cause a loss of power to a remainder of the plurality of electrode devices.