Re: EDM info (names2001)

http://www.pacificsun.ca/~robert/2001/part05.htm

is a picture of the machines and a description of how the wire worked.
We should be able to do this with steppers with little trouble.

one note that I have come across is that his machines are low power
and that would effect electrode erosion. so he could get more
cutting time from a spool of wire. I would imagine that large shops
spend $ on wire to save hours on cutting. and there may be a curve
of total inches cut with speed, power and some other factors.

I have found that longer pulse rates means less electrode wear and a
faster cut but a poor finish. slower pulses, faster electrode wear
and mirror finishes.

That would indicate the both wire feed and table movement would need
to be very slow. seems huge gear reduction and probably small motors.

Dave

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Jon Elson <elson@p...> wrote:
>
>
> RichD wrote:
>
> >Jan,
> >The machine has a reel of wire at the top and is fed thru a series
of insulated
> >rollers to steady the pull and wipe the wire then down thru a
guide,
> >graphite conductor shoe, thru a saphire guide, thru the material
to cut,
> >thru the lower saphire guide, graphite conductor, under a roller,
out the
> >back to the motorized pulling rolls and down to the bin. Some
machines
> >chop the wire as it exits.
> >Now you can build your own!
> >This machine occupies a space about 6 feet cubed. The working
envelope is only 15 x 15"!
> >Brass wire seems to be the universal material. I don't know if
others are available.
> >
> >
> Robert Langlois was demonstrating a wire EDM at the 2001 NAMES
show. He
> was cutting
> hair-thin tubing with it, under pure water. He said he was using a
> Molybdenum wire, if I
> remember correctly. He had 2 grooved spools, and the wire was fed
back
> and forth many times.
> There were knots or something in the wire that tripped reversing
> switches when it got near the
> end.
>
> Jon