Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing an electrical discharge drilling process using ultrasound are provided. The characterization of the electrical discharge drilling process facilitates estimating cycle times and electrode consumptions for future electrical discharge drilling tasks. An electrical discharge drilling machine includes a base for supporting a workpiece, an electrode operable to drill a hole in the workpiece using an electrical discharge, and an ultrasonic probe installed on the base and oriented toward the workpiece when the workpiece is supported by the base.

Abstract: A method for correcting extrinsic loading effects on kinematic accuracy of a machining assembly includes determining, for a positioning system of the machining assembly including a cantilevered arm and a rotary table mounted on the cantilevered arm, a first position and a first orientation of a first axis and a second position and a second orientation of a second axis, filling a machining tank with a dielectric fluid, determining a third position and a third orientation of the first axis and a fourth position and a fourth orientation of the second axis, and determining position and orientation correction factors for the first axis and the second axis using a position and orientation deviation of the first axis and the second axis in the first condition from the first axis and the second axis in the second condition.

Abstract: The method can include mounting the part on a machining fixture, obtaining a geometrical relationship between a machining reference feature of the part and a setup reference feature of the part, such as via a 3D model acquired by scanning, measuring a position and orientation of the setup reference feature relative the machining fixture, computing a position and orientation of the machining reference feature based on the geometrical relationship and on the measured position and orientation; and machining the target feature of the part relative to the computed position and orientation of the machining feature.

Abstract: A machining system includes a WEDM assembly, a probe assembly, a calibration artifact, and a controller. The WEDM assembly includes a conductive wire. The conductive wire extends between and to the upper guide head and the lower guide head. The probe assembly includes a touch probe. The calibration artifact includes an artifact body forming a probe cavity and a wire cavity. The controller is configured to identify a probe X-position and a probe Y-position of the touch probe by controlling the WEDM assembly to move the touch probe to contact the calibration artifact with the touch probe disposed within the probe cavity, identify a wire X-position and a wire Y-position of the conductive wire by controlling the WEDM assembly to move the conductive wire to contact the calibration artifact with the conductive wire disposed within the wire cavity, and calibrate the machining system by determining an X-offset and a Y-offset of the conductive wire relative to the touch probe and storing the X-offset and the Y-offset.

Abstract: A method of machining a feature in a component using a machine having a support rotatable about a rotation axis and having a cutting tool movable relative to the component, the component being mounted on the support for rotation about a central axis of the component, the method includes: determining coordinates of at least three points on a reference surface of the component, the at least three points being circumferentially offset from one another relative to the central axis; determining an angular correction to apply to the cutting tool based on the coordinates of the at least three points; and machining the feature in the component using the cutting tool angled with the angular correction.

Abstract: A machining system includes a machining assembly, a rotary table, a dimensional measurement assembly, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the dimensional measurement assembly to identify first position and a first orientation for a point on a surface of a workpiece with at least one dimensional measurement sensor, determine a first machine-workpiece vector and a first rotation-workpiece vector for the point, control the rotary table to rotate the workpiece about a rotational axis by a rotation angle, calculate a second position and a second orientation for the point subsequent to rotating the workpiece, update a workpiece position and a workpiece orientation in a part coordinate system (PCS) for the workpiece using the second position and the second orientation, and control the machining assembly to machine the workpiece using the updated workpiece position and the updated workpiece orientation.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a machining system includes providing the machining system which includes a base, a cantilevered arm, and a rotary table positioned at the second arm end of the cantilevered arm. The rotary table is rotatable relative to the cantilevered arm about a first axis. The first axis has a first unloaded position and a first unloaded orientation with the machining system in an unloaded condition. The method further includes installing a measurement artifact on the rotary table, measuring a first position of the measurement artifact, and installing a load on the rotary table. The first axis has a first loaded position and a first loaded orientation with the machining system in a loaded condition. The method further includes measuring a second position of the measurement artifact and determining a positional deviation of the second position from the first position.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a component. During this method, a workpiece is provided. An aperture is machined into the workpiece using an electrical discharge machining wire supported by a guide. The machining of the aperture includes moving the guide along a guide path where the electrical discharge machining wire cuts the workpiece along a wire path that is different than the guide path. A speed of the electrical discharge machining wire is maintained during the cutting of the workpiece along the wire path.

Abstract: A method of machining a feature in a component using a machine having a support rotatable about a rotation axis and having a cutting tool movable relative to the component, the component being mounted on the support for rotation about a central axis of the component, the method includes: determining coordinates of at least three points on a reference surface of the component, the at least three points being circumferentially offset from one another relative to the central axis; determining an angular correction to apply to the cutting tool based on the coordinates of the at least three points; and machining the feature in the component using the cutting tool angled with the angular correction.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a machining system includes providing the machining system which includes a base, a cantilevered arm, and a rotary table positioned at the second arm end of the cantilevered arm. The rotary table is rotatable relative to the cantilevered arm about a first axis. The first axis has a first unloaded position and a first unloaded orientation with the machining system in an unloaded condition. The method further includes installing a measurement artifact on the rotary table, measuring a first position of the measurement artifact, and installing a load on the rotary table. The first axis has a first loaded position and a first loaded orientation with the machining system in a loaded condition. The method further includes measuring a second position of the measurement artifact and determining a positional deviation of the second position from the first position.

Abstract: A tool for validating a wire-electric-discharge-machining (wEDM) operation to be performed using a wEDM machine comprises a body including an engagement feature shaped to removably hold a validation coupon to be machined in the wEDM operation, the validation coupon sized larger than a size of a cut-out to be made in a part using the wEDM machine. A method of manufacturing the tool and a wEDM machine assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A method of wire electric discharge machining (wEDM) a feature in a part includes using wEDM, cutting and detaching a slug from a portion of the part that is to be detached from the part to define the feature, and thereby defining a validation cut-out in the portion, and using wEDM, cutting and detaching the portion having the validation cut-out from the part and thereby defining the feature.

Abstract: The method can include measuring the tridimensional positions of a reference feature for a first at least three different angular positions of the reference feature around the first rotation axis and a same first reference angular position around the second rotation axis, the reference feature being fixed relative to the component; and measuring the tridimensional positions of the reference feature for a second at least three different angular positions of the reference feature around the first rotation axis and a same second reference angular position around the second rotation axis.

Abstract: Methods and systems for wire-electro discharge machining of components are described. The method comprises machining a first component by moving a wire-EDM electrode along a first set of cutting paths associated with a plurality of cutting passes, the cutting paths determined based on a desired profile shape of the component, obtaining a cutting parameter of the first component post-machining, determining a first modified cutting path for a second component based on the cutting parameter, and machining the second component by moving the wire-EDM electrode along a second set of cutting paths associated with the plurality of cutting passes, the second set of cutting paths comprising the first modified cutting path.

Abstract: Methods of repairing a part having a firtree-shaped feature requiring rework are disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes receiving the part having the firtree-shaped feature requiring rework. The part is installed in a machine configured for wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). A location of the firtree-shaped feature relative to a datum of the machine is then determined. Wire EDM is performed on the firtree-shaped feature.

Abstract: A method of adding a feature to a part made of a metal alloy includes wire electric-discharge machining the feature into the part using a wire electrode having a zinc component to create a recast layer. After the step of wire electric-discharge machining the feature, at least some of the recast layer is removed by performing an electrochemical etching process that includes positioning a cathode adjacent the feature and passing current through a portion of the part that contains the feature.

Abstract: A tool for validating a wire-electric-discharge-machining (wEDM) operation to be performed using a wEDM machine comprises a body including an engagement feature shaped to removably hold a validation coupon to be machined in the wEDM operation, the validation coupon sized larger than a size of a cut-out to be made in a part using the wEDM machine. A method of manufacturing the tool and a wEDM machine assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A method of wire-electric-discharge-machining (wEDM) a feature in a part includes using wEDM, cutting and detaching a slug from a portion of the part that is to be detached from the part to define the feature, and thereby defining a validation cut-out in the portion, and using wEDM, cutting and detaching the portion having the validation cut-out from the part and thereby defining the feature.

Abstract: Methods of repairing a part having a firtree-shaped feature requiring rework are disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes receiving the part having the firtree-shaped feature requiring rework. The part is installed in a machine configured for wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). A location of the firtree-shaped feature relative to a datum of the machine is then determined. Wire EDM is performed on the firtree-shaped feature.

Abstract: The method can include measuring the tridimensional positions of a reference feature for a first at least three different angular positions of the reference feature around the first rotation axis and a same first reference angular position around the second rotation axis, the reference feature being fixed relative to the component; and measuring the tridimensional positions of the reference feature for a second at least three different angular positions of the reference feature around the first rotation axis and a same second reference angular position around the second rotation axis.