Abstract: The invention relates to electrical discharge milling machines using tool electrodes subject to longitudinal wear. The inventive discharge milling machine is equipped with a numerical controller executing at least one control cycle for compensating the wear considering the following steps: (a) determining the volume Q eroded by each discharge, (b) calculating the distance s travelled by the tool from one effective discharge to the next, (c) calculating the actual eroded linear volume M [m3/m] for at least one effective discharge, M forming a measurement sample from the values Q and s, (d) comparing said sample M with the corresponding set value C to generate an error D=C?M [m3/m], and (e) calculating and transmitting a command by the numerical controller intended to reduce this error D during the following cycle or cycles.

Abstract: A method and machine to allow for the spark-erosion machining of parts, in particular their finishing, using cylindrical or tubular tools by successive layers.

Abstract: A method for cutting by a traveling wire, wherein the wire traveling direction of the wire and/or the workpiece are/is inclined alternately in relation to one another into at least two different specific angular positions in the cutting direction, with the result that the effective cutting height (s) on the workpiece (2) becomes smaller than the entire workpiece height.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric discharge machining apparatus having at least a tool electrode and a workpiece comprising positioning the tool electrode relative to the workpiece; generating at least one first type discharge impulse and at least one second type discharge impulse, wherein the at least one first type discharge impulse has a longer impulse duration than the impulse duration of the at least one second type discharge impulse, wherein the first type discharge impulse causes formation of a protective film against wear on the tool electrode and the second type discharge impulse causes erosion at least on the tool electrode; and applying the first and second type discharge impulses to a gap between the tool electrode and workpiece for material removal from the workpiece, wherein a ratio between the first and second type discharge impulses applied to the tool electrode causes predefined wear of the tool electrode.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric discharge machining process, wherein a tool electrode is moved relatively to a workpiece with a working gap distance, wherein the process includes a current and at least one previous erosion cycle, the current and the previous erosion cycle each being divided into predetermined time intervals each including at least one discharge pulse, wherein similar working gap conditions are present within a time interval of the previous erosion cycle and of the current erosion cycle, and wherein subsequent erosion cycles are separated by a process pause cycle.

Abstract: An expansion of known serial data links, for example ETHERNET, published in IEEE802.3, for directly transmitting random events without having to carry out synchronization with a clock signal or having to wait for a cyclical transmission time. Two different, random events are represented using two differently coded individual pulses and are transmitted in an event-controlled manner. A jitter-free latency of 45 ns between the event and its reception is possible over a line length of 8 m, for example. The expansion is particularly suitable for the short, digital data links between a node and a plurality of modules, as are required in modern electrical discharge machines, machine tools and similar electronic systems.

Abstract: A method for controlling a wire electric discharge machine comprising the steps of: determining of at least one predefined contour deviation (Esmax) of a predefined contour to be cut into the workpiece; determining a curvature of at least one geometry element defining at least one section of the contour to be cut into the workpiece; calculating a displacement (s) of an upper guide (WGU) and a lower wire guide (WGL) based on the predefined contour deviation (Esmax) and on the curvature of the at least one predefined geometry element; and setting the displacement (s) by moving the upper guide (WGU) relative to the lower wire guide (WGL) such that the wire electrode guided by the upper (WGU) and lower wire guides (WGL) is inclined in a current cutting direction of the workpiece during cutting of the geometry element into the workpiece.

Abstract: The methods and devices enable a reliable and rapid automatic threading process on spark-erosive wire-cutting machines with closed round guides without complicated entry of parameters. A heat-output control device with an optimized output characteristic curve is supplied from a DC voltage source of the erosion generator. Through an at least partial feedback loop of heating current and source voltage, the characteristic curve is modified in such a way that different wire types or different annealing lengths for the wire provide optimal results for stretching, straightening and separating the wire electrode without controlled intervention. With adaptive control it is possible to thread future wire types automatically without reprogramming.

Abstract: A method for electrical discharge machining a workpiece includes dividing machining time into a sensing interval during which reference values are captured from machining pulses and into a machining interval during which no reference values are captured. The sensing interval includes either a first sensing interval after implementation of a jump motion of the electrode in the working gap or a second sensing interval after application of an extended pause time to at least some of the machining pulses. The extended pause time is longer than a pause time of other ones of the machining pulses. The method also includes sensing an electrical parameter of a current machining pulse and deriving at least one characteristic value from the sensed electrical parameter. The method further includes comparing characteristic value to at least one of the captured reference values and initiating an action depending on a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A machine for machining workpieces by a laser beam. The optical fibre terminates at an optical output head (27) that defines the optical axis of the laser light beam, which vaporizes the material. The optical output head (27) is rigidly attached to the frame (49) or to the casing of the laser head so that said optical output head remains integrally fastened to said frame or casing during the rotation of the laser head about the horizontal pivot axis (B). The polluted gases generated in the machining area by the evaporation of material are collected by a suction nozzle (37) which is driven with the laser machining head during its rotation about the horizontal axis (B). A stream of clean dry gas is injected into the machining area by an injection nozzle (35) which is also driven with the laser machining head (8) during its rotation about the horizontal axis (B).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a generator for generating a time sequence of discharge pulses separated from each other by pulse pauses for electrical discharge machining. At least two pulse capacitors are discharged each in the form of a partial pulse into the spark gap for forming together a discharge pulse. A discharge pulse having a predetermined waveform is selected from a plurality of discharge pulses having differing predetermined waveforms. The discharge of the at least two pulse capacitors is controlled such that the selected discharge pulse is generated with the predetermined waveform.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit board unit and a method for production thereof. The circuit board unit comprises a circuit board topmost laminate with conductive tracks on the upper side for mounting surface-mountable devices. The circuit board topmost laminate features a thickness dimensioned such that the anticipated heat dissipated by the surface-mountable devices is transported from the upper side to the underside of the circuit board laminate to good effect. The circuit board unit further comprises an electrically insulating laminate arranged under the circuit board topmost laminate, inserts made of a material with good heat conductivity and electrical insulation embedded in the electrically insulating laminate at sites below surface-mountable devices with high heat dissipation, and a cooling plate arranged below the electrically insulating laminate and the inserts.

Abstract: Spark-erosion machining method and machine implementing a machining gap, a process regulator, a numerical control system, a Nominal Trajectory. The latter describes the movement of the tool electrode relative to the part as it ought to proceed if no disturbance were to occur during the machining. Information contained in the Nominal Trajectory is used to define at least two control vectors Vg, Vp which orient, within the coordinate system XYZ, two independent regulation movements. The first, or Gap Vector Vg, defines the direction in which a first regulation movement of the axes of the machine must be performed to maintain the removal of material. The second, or Position Vector Vp, defines the direction in which a second regulation movement of the axes of the machining machine must be performed to correct a tool electrode position error. The respective amplitudes of the regulation movements are calculated in real time by the process regulator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and generator for generating a time sequence of EDM pulses having a predefined ignition voltage for electrical discharge machining. An AC voltage is generated from a DC voltage, furnished by a bipolar current source. The AC voltage is applied to an isolating transformer disposed between the bipolar current source and the spark gap. A first pulse capacitor is charged by the bipolar current source to a voltage corresponding to the ignition voltage. The ignition voltage provided by the isolating transformer is switched with a selected polarity to the spark gap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a generator for generating a time sequence of discharge pulses for EDM machining wherein a pulse capacitor (22) for generating the discharge pulse is charged with a charging voltage (U_chrg) and then discharged into the spark gap. The pulse capacitor (22) after being discharged is recharged with a charging voltage (U_chrg) having the same polarity as that of the residual voltage (U_end) remaining at the pulse capacitor (22) after its discharge. Thereafter, the pulse capacitor (22) is discharged with a discharge pulse into the spark gap, wherein the polarity of the discharge pulse is independent of the polarity of the charging voltage (U_chrg) at the pulse capacitor (22) after its recharge.