Tool electrode and machining method
By covering the surrounding surface of the tool electrode with a conductive adhesive layer and forming a protective film using the flow of an insulating liquid medium, the problem of high-temperature discharge loss of the tool electrode is solved, achieving long life and high-precision machining of the tool electrode.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511455671.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-13
AI Technical Summary
Tool electrodes suffer severe wear during electrical discharge machining (EDM) due to high-temperature discharge, especially in fine structural parts, which leads to reduced workpiece machining accuracy and tool electrode life.
A conductive adhesive layer is covered around the tool electrode. The flow of an insulating liquid medium causes the conductive adhesive layer to mix with the etched tool electrode and workpiece metal debris to form a carbon slurry. This slurry adheres to the working surface and forms a protective film. The protective film is continuously replenished through high-temperature discharge to protect the tool electrode.
It significantly reduces tool electrode wear, extends its service life, and maintains machining accuracy and efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN121315360A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of electrical discharge machining technology, and in particular to a tool electrode and machining method. Background Technology
[0002] Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is widely used in many industries such as aerospace, vehicle engineering, and biomedical devices. Due to its non-contact discharge characteristics, it has the ability to process high-hardness conductive materials and form complex geometries. When the tool electrode is working, it generates a spark discharge with the workpiece, thereby achieving the discharge erosion of the workpiece material and performing precise machining. However, the tool electrode is eroded along with the workpiece material during the spark discharge process, which causes wear on the tool electrode. The wear is particularly noticeable on the fine structural parts of the tool electrode, resulting in reduced machining accuracy and tool electrode life. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The main purpose of this application is to propose a tool electrode and a machining method, which aims to improve the problem that the tool electrode wear is large during current electrical discharge machining, resulting in reduced machining accuracy and tool electrode life.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a tool electrode for machining workpieces in an insulating liquid medium, the tool electrode comprising: An electrode body has a working surface and a surrounding surface, wherein the working surface is formed on one side of the electrode body along a first direction; the surrounding surface is disposed around the periphery of the working surface, and extends to the working surface in the first direction; and A conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body and covers at least a portion of the surrounding surface. The conductive adhesive layer is configured to be etched away by discharge and adheres to the working surface under the influence of the insulating liquid medium to form a protective film.
[0005] In one embodiment, the electrode body includes a plurality of electrode substrates, which are arranged sequentially at intervals along a second direction; In the second direction, a conductive adhesive layer is provided between two adjacent electrode substrates, and the conductive adhesive layer is used to connect multiple electrode substrates into one unit; The electrode substrate and the conductive adhesive layer have a first working sub-surface and a second working sub-surface on the same side along the first direction, and multiple first working sub-surfaces are assembled to form the working surface; The first direction and the second direction are set perpendicularly.
[0006] In one embodiment, the first working sub-face and the second working sub-face are coplanar.
[0007] In one embodiment, the protective film is attached at least at the seam between two adjacent electrode substrates.
[0008] In one embodiment, the thickness of the conductive adhesive layer is 10 micrometers to 20 micrometers.
[0009] In one embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer comprises: Adhesive resin layer; and A conductive element, which is embedded in the adhesive resin layer.
[0010] In one embodiment, the conductive element is a conductive powder, which includes at least one of copper powder and graphite powder.
[0011] In one embodiment, the working surface is covered with the conductive adhesive layer.
[0012] Secondly, this application proposes a processing method for processing the tool electrode described in the above embodiments, the processing method comprising: An electrode body is provided, the electrode body having a working surface and a surrounding surface, the working surface being formed on one side of the electrode body along a first direction; The conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body such that the conductive adhesive layer at least covers a portion of the surrounding surface.
[0013] In one embodiment, the electrode body includes a plurality of electrode substrates, and the conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body, comprising: The plurality of electrode substrates are arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction; Along the second direction, the conductive adhesive layer is bonded between two adjacent electrode substrates, and multiple electrode substrates are connected as one unit through the conductive adhesive layer.
[0014] The tool electrode and processing method proposed in this application have a conductive adhesive layer bonded to the tool electrode. This allows for simultaneous erosion of the workpiece material via spark discharge, resulting in the conductive adhesive layer bonded to the tool electrode at its current working surface being eroded away along with the tool electrode. Under the flow of an insulating liquid medium, the eroded conductive adhesive layer mixes and adheres with the metal debris from the eroded tool electrode and workpiece to form a carbon slurry, which then adheres to the working surface of the tool electrode, forming a protective film. During workpiece processing, this protective film continuously wears away, while continuous spark discharge generates new protective films. This ensures that the working surface of the tool electrode is always covered with a protective film, significantly reducing the actual wear of the tool electrode during workpiece processing and contributing to an increased service life. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a tool electrode structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Explosion-proof diagram of the electrode structure of the tool; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the tool electrode surrounding surface and the working surface according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tool electrode structure according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 6 for Figure 5 Explosion-proof diagram of the electrode structure of the tool; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the tool electrode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the working state of the tool electrode from another perspective; Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B.
[0017] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Tool electrode; 1. Electrode body; 11. Electrode substrate; 111. First working surface; 12. Working surface; 13. Surrounding surface; 2. Conductive adhesive layer; 21; Second working sub-face; 3. Workpiece; 4. Insulating liquid medium; 5. Protective film.
[0018] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0020] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this application involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.
[0021] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this application involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.
[0022] Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is widely used in many industries such as aerospace, vehicle engineering, and biomedical devices. Due to its non-contact discharge characteristics, it has the ability to process high-hardness conductive materials and form complex geometries. When the tool electrode is working, it generates a spark discharge with the workpiece, thereby achieving the discharge erosion of the workpiece material and performing precise machining. However, the tool electrode is eroded along with the workpiece material during the spark discharge process, which causes wear on the tool electrode. The wear is particularly noticeable on the fine structural parts of the tool electrode, resulting in reduced machining accuracy and tool electrode life.
[0023] During the machining process of a workpiece using a tool electrode, a high-temperature discharge occurs between the tool electrode and the workpiece. This high-temperature discharge erodes the material of the workpiece 3, achieving precise machining of the workpiece 3. Simultaneously, the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 is also eroded due to the high-temperature discharge, causing wear and tear on the tool electrode 100. In other words, while machining the workpiece 3 using electrical discharge, in addition to eroding the material of the workpiece 3, the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 is also eroded due to the high-temperature discharge, resulting in wear and tear on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100. The wear and tear is particularly noticeable on the fine structural parts of the tool electrode 100, leading to a reduction in the machining accuracy of the workpiece 3 and the service life of the tool electrode 100.
[0024] Based on this, refer to Figures 1-4 As shown, this application embodiment provides a tool electrode 100 for processing a workpiece 3 in an insulating liquid medium 4. The tool electrode 100 includes an electrode body 1 and a conductive adhesive layer 2, wherein the electrode body 1 is made of copper blank; the electrode body 1 has a working surface 12 on one side along a first direction, and a surrounding surface 13 is disposed around the periphery of the working surface 12, and the surrounding surface 13 extends along the first direction. In the first direction, one end of the surrounding surface 13 extends to the working surface 12, that is, one end of the surrounding surface 13 along the first direction contacts the working surface 12; in this application, the first direction is defined as the X direction, and the second direction is defined as the Z direction.
[0025] It is understandable that if the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 facing the workpiece 3 is not a complete plane, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 has a groove. When the tool electrode 100 is used to process the workpiece 3, the area on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 other than the groove becomes the current working surface for processing the workpiece 3 and subjecting it to high-temperature discharge. Because the working surface in the groove is far away from the workpiece 3, the working surface corresponding to the groove will not generate high-temperature discharge with the workpiece 3 at this time. Only as the processing feed continues, the working surface in the groove participates in the high-temperature discharge. Therefore, the working surface of the tool electrode 100 is in a changing state.
[0026] Or, such as Figure 2 As shown, there is a protrusion on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100. When the tool electrode 100 is used to process the workpiece 3, the tool electrode 100 will first generate a high-temperature discharge with the workpiece 3 when it is in the protrusion position, and then process the workpiece 3. As the processing feed continues, the parts located on both sides of the protrusion will participate in the high-temperature discharge. Similarly, the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 is also in a changing state.
[0027] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the working surface 12 is formed on one side of the tool electrode 100 along the X direction, and the surrounding surface 13 extends around the periphery of the working surface 12, and the surrounding surface 13 extends along the X direction. In the X direction, one end of the surrounding surface 13 extends to the working surface 12, thereby allowing the surrounding surface 13 to contact the working surface 12; as Figure 4 As shown, the surrounding surface 13 includes side a and side b formed on opposite sides of the tool electrode 100, and side c and side d formed on opposite sides; at least a portion of the surrounding surface 13 is covered with a conductive adhesive layer 2, for example, the conductive adhesive layer 2 is covered on one or more of the side a, side b, side c and side d.
[0028] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 The diagram shows the state of the tool electrode 100 during the machining of the workpiece 3. The working surface 12 faces the workpiece 3, and the surrounding surface 13, i.e., sides a, b, c, and d, are all located above the working surface 12. When the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 extends into the insulating liquid medium 4 and processes the workpiece 3, it discharges and erodes the workpiece 3. Simultaneously, the conductive adhesive layer 2 covering the surrounding surface 13 and located at the working surface 12, as well as the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100, are also simultaneously discharged and eroded. Under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, the eroded conductive adhesive layer 2 mixes and adheres with the metal debris from the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 to form a carbon paste, which is then attached to the surface of the tool electrode 100. This forms a protective layer 5 on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 (e.g., ...). Figure 9 (As shown); the protective film 5 attached to the working surface 12 is continuously worn away during the processing due to high-temperature discharge, but new conductive adhesive layer 2 will be continuously eroded by discharge and mixed with the metal debris of the eroded tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 to form carbon slurry. As a result, new protective film 5 will be continuously replenished on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100, so that the protective film 5 can be continuously replenished, and the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 can always be covered by the protective film 5, thereby significantly reducing the wear of the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100.
[0029] Understandably, during the electrical discharge machining process, as new protective films 5 are continuously attached to the working surface 12, the protective films 5 are gradually worn away under high-temperature discharge, thereby protecting the tool electrode 100 and reducing the direct wear of the working surface 12.
[0030] In this embodiment, by covering the surrounding surface 13 of the tool electrode 100 with a conductive adhesive layer 2, and utilizing the high-temperature discharge generated during the electrical discharge machining process and the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, the etched conductive adhesive layer 2 mixes with the etched metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 to form a carbon slurry, and a protective film 5 is formed on the working surface 12. Thus, under the condition of high-temperature discharge, the protective film 5 is gradually worn away, and new etched conductive adhesive layer 2 mixes with the etched metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 to form a carbon slurry, which adheres to the working surface 12 under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, so that the protective film 5 on the working surface 12 is continuously replenished, thereby forming a dynamic protection mechanism that can continuously protect the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100.
[0031] It is understandable that during the machining process of the workpiece 3 by the tool electrode 100, the insulating liquid medium 4 is always in a continuous flow state. The insulating liquid medium 4 can be kerosene and mineral oil, deionized water, or synthetic electrolyte, etc.; among which, the insulating liquid medium 4 is mainly used in the electrical discharge machining process for: 1. Reduce tool electrode temperature: During electrical discharge machining, a high-temperature discharge occurs between the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece electrode 3, causing the electrode material to melt and evaporate. The flow of the insulating liquid medium 4 can quickly remove the heat from the electrode surface, reduce the electrode temperature, reduce thermal expansion and thermal stress, and thus extend the service life of the electrode.
[0032] 2. Reduce the heat-affected zone: The flowing insulating liquid medium 4 can effectively reduce heat accumulation in the processing area, reduce the size of the heat-affected zone, and improve the quality and precision of the processed surface.
[0033] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 , Figure 7 As shown, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be attached to the area of the surrounding surface 13 near the working surface 12. Because the tool electrode 100 experiences its highest temperature near the working surface 12 during machining, and this area directly participates in the electrical discharge, the conductive adhesive layer 2 at these locations will be promptly eroded away by the high-temperature discharge. Figure 7As shown, the etched conductive adhesive layer 2 moves from top to bottom along the surrounding surface 13 to the working surface 12 under the action of gravity, and mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are etched together to form a carbon slurry. Then, under the action of the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it adheres to the working surface 12 and forms a protective film 5. By attaching the conductive adhesive layer 2 to the surrounding surface 13 near the working surface 12, it is possible to provide the working surface 12 with the carbon slurry made of the etched conductive adhesive layer and the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 12 that are etched together in a timely and rapid manner, and form a protective film 5 on the working surface 12 to protect the working surface 12.
[0034] Alternatively, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be attached to the entire surrounding surface 13, including the area near the working surface 12 and the area away from the working surface 12. The conductive adhesive layer 2 near the working surface 12 can be quickly etched away by high-temperature discharge, and then mixed with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are etched away together to form a carbon slurry. Under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it is attached to the working surface 12 to form a protective film 5, providing immediate protection. The conductive adhesive layer 2 away from the working surface 12 serves as a reserve, so that after being etched away by high-temperature discharge, it can be mixed with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are etched away together to form a carbon slurry. Under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it can be continuously attached to the working surface 12 to ensure the continuous coverage of the protective film 5.
[0035] Understandably, the conductive adhesive layer 2, which is far from the working surface 12, serves as a reserve and can be continuously eroded by high-temperature discharge. It mixes with the metal debris from the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 12 that are also eroded to form a carbon slurry. Under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it adheres to the working surface 12. As processing progresses, the protective film 5 on the working surface 12 will gradually wear away, but the conductive adhesive layer 2, which is far from the working surface 12, will be continuously eroded by high-temperature discharge. It will mix with the metal debris from the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also eroded to form a carbon slurry. Under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, a protective film 5 will be formed on the working surface 12, thereby ensuring the continuous coverage of the protective film 5.
[0036] In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer 2 is attached to the entire surrounding surface 13, including the area near the working surface 12 and the area away from the working surface 12. This can achieve immediate protection and continuous replenishment of the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100. It can significantly improve the protection effect of the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100, reduce the wear of the working surface 12, and improve the machining accuracy and the service life of the electrode.
[0037] In this embodiment, the protective film 5 is composed of a conductive adhesive layer 2 that has been eroded by high-temperature discharge and a carbon paste formed by mixing the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 12 that have also been eroded by high-temperature discharge. Since it is conductive, it will not hinder the electric spark discharge process between the working surface 12 and the workpiece 3. The conductivity of the protective film 5 ensures the continuity and stability of the electric spark discharge, thereby maintaining the processing efficiency and processing accuracy.
[0038] like Figures 1-4 and Figures 5-6 The diagram shown illustrates two different tool electrode 100 structures listed in this application. Figures 1-4 This is a schematic diagram of the tool electrode 100 structure in one embodiment. Figures 5-6 This is a schematic diagram of the tool electrode 100 structure in another embodiment. Figure 7 for Figures 1-4 A schematic diagram of the state of the tool electrode 100 during the specific processing of the workpiece 3.
[0039] in, Figures 1-4 The tool electrode 100 structure shown has a groove on its working surface 12, which ultimately forms a protruding structure on the workpiece 3. This is because, during the machining of the workpiece 3, an electric spark discharge can only occur between the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 and the surface of the workpiece 3 when the distance between them reaches a certain level. This high-temperature discharge erodes the material in the area corresponding to the working surface 12 on the surface of the workpiece 3, thereby achieving the machining of the workpiece 3. Figures 1-4 The tool electrode 100 structure shown has a groove on its working surface 12; as Figure 7 As shown, during the movement of the tool electrode 100 toward the surface of the workpiece 3, the working surface 12 within the groove is farther from the surface of the workpiece 3 than the other working surfaces 12. Therefore, no electric spark discharge occurs between the working surface 12 within the groove and the surface of the workpiece 3. However, the other working surfaces 12 outside the groove area are closer to the workpiece surface, so they generate an electric spark discharge before the working surface 12 within the groove and the corresponding area on the workpiece 3, thus processing the workpiece 3. As the tool electrode 100 continues to move toward the workpiece 3, until the distance between the working surface 12 within the groove and the surface of the workpiece 3 reaches a level sufficient to generate an electric spark discharge, the working surface 12 within the groove area begins to generate an electric spark discharge with the corresponding surface of the workpiece 3, thereby processing the surface of the workpiece 3 corresponding to the groove. Since less material is etched away from the surface of the workpiece 3 corresponding to the groove, when the processing of the workpiece 3 is completed, a protrusion with a contour matching the groove structure on the working surface 12 is formed at the middle position on the side of the workpiece 3 facing the tool electrode 100.
[0040] In this application, Figures 5-6 The working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 shown has a structure that protrudes toward the workpiece 3, therefore, when using... Figures 5-6 When the tool electrode 100 shown in the diagram processes the workpiece 3, after the workpiece 3 is processed, a groove is formed on the side of the workpiece 3 facing the tool electrode 100, which is recessed in the direction away from the tool electrode 100. This is because during the process of the tool electrode 100 moving towards the workpiece 3, the protruding structure on the working surface 12 will first generate an electric spark discharge with the area corresponding to the surface of the workpiece 3, and process the surface of the workpiece 3 and the area corresponding to the protruding structure on the working surface 12. Other areas are relatively far from the working surface 12 (and have not reached the conditions for electric spark discharge). Therefore, when the workpiece 3 is processed, a recessed structure with a contour matching the protruding structure on the working surface 12 will be formed on the workpiece 3 at the position corresponding to the protruding structure on the working surface 12.
[0041] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the electrode body 1 includes a plurality of electrode substrates 11, which are arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction Z. In the Z direction, a conductive adhesive layer 2 is provided between two adjacent electrode substrates 11. The conductive adhesive layer 2 is used to connect the plurality of electrode substrates 11 into a single unit (e.g., ...). Figure 1 As shown); Figure 2 As shown, the electrode substrate 11 has a first working sub-surface 111 on one side along the first direction X, and the conductive adhesive layer 2 has a second working sub-surface 21 on the same side along the first direction X. When multiple electrode substrates 11 are connected into one body under the action of the conductive adhesive layer 2, the multiple first working sub-surfaces 111 located on the same side along the first direction X are assembled to form the working surface 12, and at this time, the multiple electrode substrates 11 connected into one body form the electrode body 1.
[0042] In this embodiment, the first direction X and the second direction Z are perpendicular to each other. The X direction is the length direction of the electrode body 1, and the Z direction is the thickness direction of the electrode body 1.
[0043] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, when the electrode body 1 includes multiple electrode substrates 11, side a is formed by the side of one of the electrode substrates 11 located along the first direction x, side b is formed by the side of one of the electrode substrates 11 located along the other side of the first direction X, side c is formed by multiple sides of the multiple electrode substrates 11 along the width direction Y of the electrode body 1, and side d is formed by multiple sides of the multiple electrode substrates 11 along the other side of the width direction Y of the electrode body 1. It can be understood that when the conductive adhesive layer 2 is covered in the above-mentioned location area, the conductive adhesive layer 2 covers the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1.
[0044] In this embodiment, by setting multiple electrode substrates 11 and providing a conductive adhesive layer 2 between adjacent electrode substrates 11, the multiple electrode substrates 11 are connected into a whole under the action of the conductive adhesive layer 2, forming an electrode body 1. The above arrangement is equivalent to splitting the original electrode body 1 along its thickness direction into multiple thinner electrode substrates 11, and sandwiching the conductive adhesive layer 2 between adjacent electrode substrates 11. Thus, when processing the workpiece 3, in addition to the conductive adhesive layer 2 attached to the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1 being etched away by discharge, it mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 12 that are also etched away by discharge to form a carbon slurry. Furthermore, under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it adheres to the working surface 12 (forming a protective film 5), and the conductive adhesive layer 2 located between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 is also eroded by high-temperature discharge. At the same time, the conductive adhesive layer 2 located between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 and eroded by high-temperature discharge moves from top to bottom toward the working surface 12, and finally adheres to the working surface 12 under the action of the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4 (forming a protective film 5). This improves the uniformity of the distribution of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12, so that the working surface 12 is covered as much as possible by the carbon slurry formed by the eroded conductive adhesive layer 2 and the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are eroded together.
[0045] It is understandable that after the conductive adhesive layer 2 attached to the surrounding surface 13 is etched away by high-temperature discharge, it moves from top to bottom toward the working surface 12 along the surrounding surface 13 (that is, the peripheral surface) of the electrode body 1. It mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are etched away together to form a carbon slurry. Under the action of the insulating liquid medium 4, it adheres to the working surface 12 (forming a protective film 5 on the working surface 12). At this time, the etched conductive adhesive layer 2 can only move from the outer peripheral side of the working surface 12 to the inner side of the working surface 12 and mix with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are etched away together to form a carbon slurry. Finally, it adheres to the working surface 12. As a result, a large amount of protective film 5 will be attached to the area near the outer peripheral side of the working surface 12, while the area far from the outer peripheral side of the working surface 12 will have relatively less protective film 5 attached. This results in the protective film 5 not being able to cover the working surface 12 evenly, which will reduce the protective effect on the working surface 12.
[0046] In this embodiment, as Figure 8As shown, by providing a conductive adhesive layer 2 between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, when processing the workpiece 3, the conductive adhesive layer 2 between the two adjacent electrode substrates 11 can move from top to bottom toward the working surface 12 after being etched away by high-temperature discharge. It mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 that are etched away together to form a carbon slurry. Then, under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, it adheres to the working surface 12. This allows the protective film 5 to be attached simultaneously from both the outer peripheral area and the inner area of the working surface 12, thereby improving the uniformity of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12 and ensuring that the working surface 12 is covered by the protective film 5 as much as possible, thus improving the protective effect on the working surface 12.
[0047] It is understood that the conductive adhesive layer 2 sandwiched between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 forms a second working sub-surface 21 on one side along the X direction. Thus, when processing the workpiece 3, the conductive adhesive layer 2 on the surrounding surface 13 and the conductive adhesive layer 2 on the second working sub-surface 21 can be simultaneously etched away by high-temperature discharge. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive layer 2 etched away at the above-mentioned location, together with the tool electrode 100 and the metal debris of the workpiece 3 etched away together, forms a carbon slurry that is diffused and attached to the working surface 12 simultaneously by the surrounding surface 13 (that is, the periphery of the working surface 12) and multiple second working sub-surfaces 21 (located on the inner side of the working surface 12). This greatly improves the uniformity of the protective film 5 coverage on the working surface 12.
[0048] In this embodiment, by providing conductive adhesive layers 2 between multiple electrode substrates 11, not only is the distribution uniformity of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12 improved, but these conductive adhesive layers 2 can also participate in the electric spark discharge process. As a result, the positions on the workpiece 3 that are connected to two adjacent electrode substrates 11 via the conductive adhesive layers 2 can also be processed, ensuring the integrity and uniformity of the processing.
[0049] It is understandable that, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the area of the conductive adhesive layer 2 sandwiched between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 should be close to or the same as the area of the electrode substrate 11. This is because a larger area of the conductive adhesive layer 2 can make the adhesion between the two adjacent electrode substrates 11 more reliable. At the same time, it can also continuously provide a protective film 5 during the processing of the workpiece 3 and adhere to the working surface 12 to improve the protection effect on the working surface 12.
[0050] In this embodiment, when the electrode body 1 is formed by connecting multiple electrode substrates 11 through a conductive adhesive layer 2, the conductive adhesive layer 2 sandwiched between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 can be mixed with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also etched away by high-temperature discharge to form a carbon slurry, which is then adhered to the working surface 12 under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4. Alternatively, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be covered on the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1 composed of multiple electrode substrates 11, and after being etched away by high-temperature discharge, it can be mixed with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also etched away by discharge to form a carbon slurry, which is then adhered to the working surface 12 under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4. This further improves the uniformity of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12, thereby improving the protective effect on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 and reducing the direct wear of the working surface 12 during the processing of the workpiece 3.
[0051] It is understandable that in the actual production and processing process, the corresponding setting method can be selected according to specific needs. For example, when the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 has a lot of fine structures, since the fine structures are easily damaged by high temperature, a conductive adhesive layer 2 can also be provided on the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1 composed of multiple electrode substrates 11, thereby improving the uniformity of the adhesion of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12 and better protecting the fine structures on the working surface 12. When the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 has few or almost no fine structures, it is not necessary to cover the surrounding surface 13 with the conductive adhesive layer 2. Only the conductive adhesive layer 2 between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, after being eroded by high temperature discharge, mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also eroded by discharge to form a carbon slurry, which is then attached to the working surface 12 to protect the working surface 12.
[0052] In this embodiment, for the working surface 12 with many fine structures, the carbon slurry formed by eroding the conductive adhesive layer 2 between the surrounding surface 13 and the two adjacent electrode substrates 11, and mixing it with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are eroded together, and then adhering to the working surface 12, can significantly improve the uniformity of the distribution of the protective film 5 and reduce the direct wear of the working surface 12. For the working surface 12 with few or no fine structures, the conductive adhesive layer 2 sandwiched between the two adjacent electrode substrates 11 can provide sufficient protection and reduce the direct wear of the working surface 12. For example, the covering method of the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be flexibly selected according to the characteristics of the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 and the processing requirements, which can effectively improve the adhesion uniformity of the protective film 5 and reduce costs.
[0053] In this embodiment, the electrode substrate 11 can be prepared by processing copper blanks. For example, multiple copper sheet raw materials with a thickness of 1 mm are first prepared, and then two adjacent electrode substrates 11 are bonded together by conductive adhesive layer 2, thereby becoming the electrode body 1.
[0054] Reference Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, in the first direction X, the conductive adhesive layer 2 extends to the first working sub-surface 111 on the side close to the first working sub-surface 111, so that the second working sub-surface 21 is coplanar with the first working sub-surface 111.
[0055] In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer 2 sandwiched between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 extends to the first working sub-surface 111 on one side, thereby making multiple first working sub-surfaces 111 and second working sub-surfaces 21 coplanar, so that the working surface 12 finally assembled can be aligned at each position, thereby improving the processing accuracy of the workpiece 3.
[0056] It is understandable that the area on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100 will only generate an electric spark discharge phenomenon when it is within a certain distance from the workpiece 3. If the first working surface 111 and the second working surface 21 are not on the same plane, it may cause uneven discharge distance, thereby affecting the machining accuracy. By ensuring that the working surface 12 is on the same plane, the discharge distance between the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 can be guaranteed to be uniform, thereby improving the machining accuracy and surface quality.
[0057] In one embodiment of this application, the protective film 5 is attached at least at the joint between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, such as... Figure 8 As shown, during the processing of workpiece 3, the conductive adhesive layer 2, which is bonded between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 and close to the working surface, is eroded by high-temperature discharge. It mixes with the tool electrode 100 and metal debris of workpiece 3, which are also eroded by discharge, to form carbon slurry. Under the flow of insulating liquid medium 4, a protective film 5 is formed on the working surface 12.
[0058] Understandably, as the conductive adhesive layer 2 near the working surface 12 is eroded by high-temperature discharge, it mixes with the metal debris from the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also eroded by the discharge to form a carbon slurry. This slurry then adheres to the working surface 12 under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, causing a void to appear where the first eroded conductive adhesive layer 2 was originally located. At this point, the conductive adhesive layer 2 located away from the working surface 12 and between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 will be eroded by high-temperature discharge and continuously move from top to bottom towards the working surface, filling the void where the first eroded conductive adhesive layer 2 was located, thus... A protective film 5 is attached between two adjacent conductive adhesive layers 2 and near the working surface 12. Since the protective film 5 is formed by the mixture of the etched conductive adhesive layer 2 and the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also etched away by the discharge, it is conductive and will not hinder the electric spark discharge process between the joint between the two adjacent electrode substrates 11 and the workpiece 3. That is, the electric spark discharge can also be generated at the position corresponding to the joint between the two electrode substrates 11 on the surface of the workpiece 3, and the machining can be performed. The conductivity of the protective film 5 ensures the continuity and stability of the electric spark discharge, thereby maintaining the machining efficiency and machining accuracy.
[0059] In one embodiment of this application, the thickness of the conductive adhesive layer 2 is 10 micrometers to 20 micrometers. This thickness range can ensure rapid melting at high temperatures and the formation of a protective film 5 on the working surface 12 of the tool electrode 100, while avoiding reduced discharge efficiency and processing errors due to excessive thickness of the conductive adhesive layer 2, thus not significantly affecting the electrical discharge process.
[0060] In one embodiment of this application, the conductive adhesive layer 2 includes an adhesive resin layer, in which conductive elements are mixed; wherein, the adhesive resin layer is the base material of the conductive adhesive layer 2, providing adhesive performance and mechanical stability, and the adhesive resin may be epoxy resin, polyacrylate resin, polyurethane resin, etc., used to bond to the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1, or disposed between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, for bonding multiple electrode substrates 11 into a whole.
[0061] In this embodiment, the conductive element is the key to imparting conductivity to the viscous resin layer, and the conductive element can be carbon black, graphite, or metal powder, etc.
[0062] In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be obtained by the following preparation method: Choose the appropriate adhesive resin based on the application requirements.
[0063] The conductive components can be uniformly mixed into the viscous resin. This can be achieved through methods such as mechanical stirring and ultrasonic dispersion to ensure the uniform distribution of the conductive components.
[0064] The mixed conductive adhesive layer 2 is coated on the surrounding surface 13 of the electrode body 1, or the conductive adhesive layer 2 is coated between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, and then cured.
[0065] Alternatively, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be made of double-sided conductive tape, which can be purchased directly from the market, such as Yichen double-sided conductive tape. The thickness of the double-sided conductive tape should not be too large, preferably between 10 micrometers and 50 micrometers, otherwise the conductivity will be affected by the excessively thick double-sided conductive tape.
[0066] In this embodiment, when the conductive adhesive layer 2 is etched away by high-temperature discharge and moves to the working surface 12, it is mixed with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also etched away by discharge to form a conductive carbon black slurry. Then, under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, the conductive carbon black slurry is attached to the working surface 12, thereby forming a protective film 5 on the working surface 12, which is the conductive carbon black slurry protective film 5.
[0067] In one embodiment of this application, the conductive component is conductive powder. The uniform dispersion of conductive powder in viscous resin can ensure the uniformity of conductivity. Compared with conductive fibers or larger particles, conductive powder is easier to achieve uniform distribution through mechanical stirring or ultrasonic dispersion, thereby providing uniform and consistent conductivity throughout the entire conductive adhesive layer 2.
[0068] In this embodiment, the uniform distribution of conductive powder in the viscous resin can maintain the flexibility of the conductive adhesive layer 2 structure, making it less prone to cracking or peeling during processing.
[0069] In one embodiment of this application, the conductive powder is at least one of copper powder and graphite powder, or other metal powders with good conductivity. Both copper powder and graphite powder have high conductivity. Mixing them with adhesive resin can significantly improve the conductivity of the conductive adhesive layer 2 and ensure the discharge efficiency of the electric spark.
[0070] In one embodiment of this application, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can also be covered on the working surface 12. However, it is necessary to ensure that the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be uniformly attached to the working surface 12 with the same thickness, that is, without affecting the original shape and contour of the working surface 12, so as to ensure the processing accuracy of the workpiece 3.
[0071] In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer 2 is directly adhered to the working surface 12, thereby forming a uniform protective film 5 on the working surface 12. When the workpiece 3 is processed, the conductive adhesive layer 2 attached to the working surface 12 is continuously worn away, which can effectively reduce the direct wear of the working surface 12 and extend the service life of the electrode body 1.
[0072] It should be noted that after the conductive adhesive layer 2 is attached to the working surface 12, the shape and contour of the conductive adhesive layer 2 facing the workpiece 3 should be consistent with the shape of the working surface 12 when the conductive adhesive layer 2 is not covered, so as to ensure the machining accuracy. If the thickness of the conductive adhesive layer 2 is uneven, it may lead to uneven distribution of discharge points, affecting the uniformity and consistency of the machined surface.
[0073] Secondly, this application proposes a processing method for processing the tool electrode 100 in the above embodiments. The processing method includes: An electrode body 1 is provided, the electrode body 1 having a working surface 12 and a surrounding surface 13. The working surface 12 is formed on one side of the electrode body 1 along a first direction X. The surrounding surface 13 is disposed around the periphery of the working surface 12 and extends along the first direction X. In the first direction X, the surrounding surface 13 extends to the working surface 12 on the side facing the working surface 12; for example, as... Figure 4 As shown, the surrounding surface 13 includes side a, side b, side c, and side d.
[0074] Obtain conductive adhesive layer 2 and adhere conductive adhesive layer 2 to at least a portion of the surrounding surface 13 of electrode body 1.
[0075] For example, the conductive adhesive layer 2 can be adhered to side a, side b, side c, or side d, or two or three of the sides a, b, c, and d, or all of the sides a, b, c, and d can be adhered to the conductive adhesive layer 2; preferably, in order to ensure the uniformity of the protective film 5 formed on the working surface 12, the conductive adhesive layer 2 should be covered on the sides a, b, c, and d.
[0076] In this embodiment, in order to further improve the protection effect on the working surface 12 of the electrode body 1, the conductive adhesive layer 2 should be bonded to the area of the surrounding surface 13 near the working surface 12, and the conductive adhesive layer 2 should be extended from the side near the working surface 12 along the first direction X toward the side away from the working surface 12. This allows the conductive adhesive layer 2 in the area near the working surface 12 to be eroded away by high temperature discharge in a timely and rapid manner when the workpiece 3 is processed. It then mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and the workpiece 3 that are also eroded away by the discharge to form a conductive carbon black slurry. Then, with the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, the conductive carbon black slurry is attached to the working surface 12, thereby forming a protective film 5 on the working surface 12 to minimize the direct wear of the working surface 12.
[0077] In one embodiment of this application, the electrode body includes a plurality of electrode substrates, and the step of bonding the conductive adhesive layer to the electrode body includes: Multiple electrode substrates 11 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction Z.
[0078] Along the second direction Z, a conductive adhesive layer 2 is bonded between two adjacent electrode substrates 11 to connect multiple electrode substrates 11 into one unit and form an electrode body 1.
[0079] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, a conductive adhesive layer 2 is provided between two adjacent electrode substrates 11, and multiple electrode substrates 11 are connected into one body through the conductive adhesive layer 2 to form the electrode body 1. This enables the following process during the machining of the workpiece 3: In addition to the conductive adhesive layer 2 located on the surrounding surface 13 being etched away by high-temperature discharge and mixing with the metal debris from the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also etched away by discharge to form a conductive carbon black slurry, a protective film 5 is formed on the working surface 12 under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4; furthermore, a protective film 5 is formed between two adjacent electrode substrates 11. The conductive adhesive layer 2 is also eroded by high-temperature discharge and mixes with the metal debris of the tool electrode 100 and workpiece 3 that are also eroded by discharge to form a conductive carbon black slurry. Then, under the flow of the insulating liquid medium 4, a protective film 5 is formed on the working surface 12. This allows the formed conductive carbon black slurry to adhere to the working surface 12 under the action of the insulating liquid medium 4, thereby improving the uniformity of the protective film 5 on the working surface 12, thus improving the protective effect on the working surface 12 and helping to reduce the degree of direct wear on the working surface 12 during the processing of the workpiece 3.
[0080] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. A tool electrode for machining workpieces in an insulating liquid medium, characterized in that, The tool electrode includes: An electrode body has a working surface and a surrounding surface, wherein the working surface is formed on one side of the electrode body along a first direction; the surrounding surface is disposed around the periphery of the working surface, and extends to the working surface in the first direction; and A conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body and covers at least a portion of the surrounding surface. The conductive adhesive layer is configured to be etched away by discharge and adheres to the working surface under the influence of the insulating liquid medium to form a protective film.
2. The tool electrode as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode body includes multiple electrode substrates, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction. In the second direction, a conductive adhesive layer is provided between two adjacent electrode substrates, and the conductive adhesive layer is used to connect multiple electrode substrates into one unit; The electrode substrate and the conductive adhesive layer have a first working sub-surface and a second working sub-surface on the same side along the first direction, and multiple first working sub-surfaces are assembled to form the working surface; The first direction and the second direction are set perpendicularly.
3. The tool electrode as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first working sub-face and the second working sub-face are coplanar.
4. The tool electrode as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The protective film is attached at least at the joint between two adjacent electrode substrates.
5. The tool electrode as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the conductive adhesive layer is 10 micrometers to 20 micrometers.
6. The tool electrode as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive adhesive layer includes: Adhesive resin layer; and A conductive element, which is embedded in the adhesive resin layer.
7. The tool electrode as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The conductive component is a conductive powder, which includes at least one of copper powder and graphite powder.
8. The tool electrode as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The working surface is covered with the conductive adhesive layer.
9. A processing method for processing the tool electrode according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The processing method includes: An electrode body is provided, the electrode body having a working surface and a surrounding surface, the working surface being formed on one side of the electrode body along a first direction; The conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body such that the conductive adhesive layer at least covers a portion of the surrounding surface.
10. The processing method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The electrode body includes multiple electrode substrates, and the conductive adhesive layer is bonded to the electrode body, including: The plurality of electrode substrates are arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction; Along the second direction, the conductive adhesive layer is bonded between two adjacent electrode substrates, and multiple electrode substrates are connected as one unit through the conductive adhesive layer.