Electro-erosion machining apparatus

Abstract

The application provides an electro-erosion machining device, belonging to the technical field of electro-erosion machining. The electro-erosion machining device comprises a rack, a conveying line capable of conveying a workpiece along a first direction is arranged on the rack, a tool electrode capable of reciprocating along a second direction is arranged on the rack above the conveying line, the tool electrode comprises a plurality of electrode needles, and one end of each electrode needle is directed towards the conveying line. A driving mechanism is used to drive the tool electrode to move. A control system is used to control the movement of the conveying line and the tool electrode. The first direction and the second direction are both horizontal directions and are not parallel to each other. The tool electrode is connected with an electric circuit. The conveying line is provided with an electric connection structure for connecting the workpiece to the electric circuit, so that the workpiece can form a workpiece electrode, and the tool electrode can discharge to electro-erode the workpiece. The electro-erosion machining device has high machining efficiency and avoids the problem of environmental pollution caused by chemical etching.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electro-erosion processing technology, specifically to an electro-erosion processing device. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial production involves forming metal patterns on the surface of insulating substrates, such as in the production of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) or FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits) mounted on rigid boards. Taking PCB production as an example, the first step is to produce a copper-clad laminate (CCL). The CCL consists of an insulating substrate and a copper layer covering its surface. In subsequent processing, the copper layer needs to be removed, leaving the copper layer to form the desired circuit pattern. PCBs are used in very large quantities, requiring high production efficiency. Currently, the mainstream method for PCB production is chemical etching. Specifically, the CCL is placed in an etchant, which removes the unwanted portions of the copper layer, leaving the circuitry. While chemical etching offers high production efficiency, it also presents the technical challenge of significant environmental pollution from the etchant. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides an electro-erosion processing device to solve the technical problem that traditional chemical etching causes serious environmental pollution.

[0004] This application provides an electrical erosion machining apparatus, comprising: frame; A conveyor line for conveying workpieces along a first direction; A tool electrode is reciprocally mounted on the frame along a second direction and located above the conveyor line. The tool electrode includes a plurality of electrode needles, one end of each electrode needle facing the conveyor line. A driving mechanism is used to drive the tool electrode to reciprocate along a second direction; A control system for controlling the movement of the conveyor line and the tool electrode; Wherein, the first direction and the second direction are both horizontal and not parallel. The tool electrode is connected to the circuit. The conveyor line has an electrical connection structure for conductively connecting the workpiece to the circuit, so that the workpiece on the conveyor line can form a workpiece electrode, so that the tool electrode can discharge to the workpiece to perform electro-erosion machining.

[0005] In one embodiment, the tool electrode includes a needle holder that is reciprocally mounted on the frame along the second direction, and each of the electrode needles is vertically adjustable and mounted on the needle holder.

[0006] In one embodiment, each of the electrode needles is mounted on the needle holder by a linear motor, and the linear motor can drive the corresponding electrode needle to adjust its vertical position.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0008] In one embodiment, the electrical connection structure includes a conductive clamping element movably disposed on the conveyor line. The electro-erosion machining equipment further includes a conductive slide rail fixed relative to the frame. The conductive slide rail is connected to the circuit and extends along the first direction. The conveyor line has a loading position, a working position, and a unloading position in its conveying stroke. At the loading position, the conductive clamping element does not engage with the conductive slide rail, allowing the workpiece to be placed between the conductive clamping element and the conveyor line. At the working position, the conductive clamping element engages with the conductive slide rail and is connected to the circuit, and the conductive slide rail forces the conductive clamping element to press against the workpiece. The tool electrode performs electro-erosion machining on the workpiece at the working position. At the unloading position, the conductive clamping element disengages from the conductive slide rail.

[0009] In one embodiment, the voltage-conducting clamping member is pivotally connected to the conveyor line, and the rotation axis of the voltage-conducting clamping member extends along the conveying direction of the conveyor line. The voltage-conducting clamping member includes a first end and a second end located on both sides of the rotation axis to form a lever structure. In the working position, the second end is supported on the conductive slide rail, so that the first end can press the workpiece.

[0010] In one embodiment, the conductive clamping member has an elastic drive structure between itself and the conveyor line. The elastic drive structure is used to drive the portion of the conductive clamping member that is used to cooperate with the workpiece away from the conveyor line. The conductive clamping member has a guide structure between itself and the conductive slide rail. The guide structure is used to guide the conductive clamping member to cooperate with the conductive slide rail when the conductive clamping member moves from the loading position to the working position.

[0011] In one embodiment, the conveyor line is a conveyor belt, and the electro-erosion machining equipment further includes a support structure. The support structure includes a support plate portion located on the side of the conveyor belt facing away from the tool electrode, for supporting the portion of the conveyor belt carrying the workpiece during electro-erosion machining. The support structure also includes an upturned portion formed by at least one side of the support plate portion folding up along the width direction of the conveyor belt, and the upturned portion constitutes the conductive slide rail.

[0012] In one embodiment, the conductive clamping member has an elastic floating pressure head at one end that mates with the workpiece, and the conductive clamping member clamps the workpiece through the elastic floating pressure head.

[0013] In one embodiment, the conveyor line is a conveyor belt, and the electro-erosion machining equipment further includes a support plate located on the side of the conveyor belt facing away from the tool electrode, for supporting the portion of the conveyor belt carrying the workpiece during electro-erosion machining.

[0014] According to the electro-erosion processing equipment in the above embodiments, when electro-erosion processing of a workpiece is required, the workpiece is placed on a conveyor line, the conveyor line carries the workpiece and moves it. When the workpiece reaches below the tool electrode, the tool electrode moves back and forth and discharges through the electrode needle to perform electro-erosion processing on the workpiece, removing the part of the workpiece that needs to be processed. During the electro-erosion process, the control system controls the conveyor line to transport the workpiece, achieving high-efficiency electro-erosion processing and avoiding the technical problems of environmental pollution caused by chemical etching. Furthermore, the electro-erosion through electrode needle discharge can ensure processing accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the workpiece being processed by the electro-erosion machining equipment in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electro-erosion machining equipment with the workpiece installed in some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point C; Figure 6 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point D; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment of the electro-erosion machining equipment via an adjustment plate in some embodiments of this application.

[0016] List of feature names corresponding to the labels in the figure: 10. Frame; 101. Liquid storage tank; 20. Conveyor line; 201. Conveyor belt drive shaft; 202. Conveyor belt drive motor; 30. Workpiece; 301. Circuit pattern; 40. Electrical connection structure; 401. Conductive clamping element; 4011. First end; 4012. Second end; 4013. Elastic floating pressure head; 4014. Spring; 402. Elastic drive structure; 50. Tool electrode; 501. Needle holder; 502. Electrode needle; 503. Linear motor; 60. Position adjustment mechanism; 601. First column; 602. Second column; 603. First guide sleeve; 604. Second guide sleeve; 605. Positioning slide rail; 606. Drive mechanism; 6061. Drive motor; 607. Lifting motor; 608. Lifting rod; 609. Connecting crossbar; 70. Control box; 701. External wiring; 80. Conductive slide rail; 801. First guide slope; 802. Second guide slope; 90. Support plate section; 100. Spraying system; 1001. Nozzle; 1002. Piping; 110. Adjustment board. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0018] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments, and the operational steps involved in each embodiment can also be rearranged or adjusted in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the specification and drawings are only for clearly describing a particular embodiment and do not imply that they represent the necessary components and / or order.

[0019] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0020] This application provides an electrical discharge machining (EDM) device. EDM, also known as electrical spark machining, involves a pulse power supply with one electrode connected to a tool electrode and the other to a workpiece electrode, both immersed in a liquid medium with a certain degree of insulation (commonly kerosene, mineral oil, or deionized water). During normal machining, the tool electrode and workpiece electrode maintain a very small discharge gap. When a pulse voltage is applied between the electrodes, it breaks down the liquid medium, forming a discharge channel. The discharge time is extremely short, resulting in a high concentration of energy. The instantaneous high temperature generated in the discharge area melts or even evaporates the material, achieving material removal from the target machining location.

[0021] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The electro-erosion machining equipment includes a frame 10, which constitutes the overall structure of the equipment and provides a mounting base for other working components. The structural form of the frame 10 is not unique and is not specifically limited here. The structural form of the frame 10 only needs to meet the requirement of serving as a mounting base for other functional components.

[0022] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a conveyor line 20. The conveying direction of the conveyor line 20 is defined as a first direction. The conveyor line 20 is provided with an electrical connection structure 40 for electrical connection with the workpiece 30 being processed, allowing the workpiece 30 to be connected to a corresponding circuit via the electrical connection structure 40. The workpiece 30 is carried by the conveyor line 20 and moves relative to the frame 10 along the first direction. Generally, the first direction is horizontal and defined as the front-to-back direction; the conveyor line 20 carries the workpiece 30 from back to front.

[0023] The following description uses PCB (Printed Circuit Board) processing as an example to introduce the electro-erosion processing equipment. Workpiece 30 is a copper-clad laminate, comprising an insulating substrate and a copper layer covering the insulating substrate. The copper layer on the insulating substrate is a relatively thin film. The purpose of electro-erosion processing is to remove a portion of the copper layer; this removed portion is the part to be processed in workpiece 30, leaving the copper layer to form the desired circuit pattern 301. In other embodiments, the electro-erosion processing equipment can also be used to process other workpieces 30 suitable for this processing.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a tool electrode 50, which is reciprocally mounted on the frame 10 along a second direction and positioned above the conveyor line 20 so that the conveyor line 20 can carry the workpiece 30 past the tool electrode 50. The second direction is also horizontal and is not parallel to the first direction. In some embodiments, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, i.e., the second direction is a left-right direction. Of course, in other embodiments, the second direction may not be perpendicular to the first direction, and may have an angle greater than or less than 90° with the first direction.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The tool electrode 50 includes a needle holder 501 and a plurality of electrode needles 502 disposed on the needle holder 501. As the name suggests, the electrode needles 502 are thin rod-shaped structures. One end of each electrode needle 502 faces downwards and towards the conveyor line 20. The plurality of electrode needles 502 are arranged in an array at intervals on the needle holder 501. Compared to discharging through a single electrode needle 502, the tool electrode 50 in this application can significantly increase the electro-erosion area by discharging through multiple electrode needles 502 onto the workpiece 30, thereby increasing the electro-erosion machining speed.

[0026] In some embodiments, the needle holder 501 is provided with twenty-four electrode needles 502. In other embodiments, the number of electrode needles 502 on the tool electrode 50 can be greater than twenty-four, such as thirty, or less than twenty-four, such as ten, with a minimum of two. The tool electrode 50 is designed with the needle holder 501 and electrode needles 502. Different thicknesses of electrode needles 502 can be used according to the line thickness of the circuit pattern 301 to be processed. For example, the circuit lines of high-power PCBs are wider and the line spacing is larger, so thicker electrode needles 502 can be used, resulting in a relatively larger electro-erosion area and improved processing efficiency. On the other hand, the lines of low-power precision circuit boards are very thin and the line spacing is small, so thinner electrode needles 502 can be used to achieve ultra-precision processing.

[0027] Considering the potential for uneven wear among multiple electrode needles 502, to ensure that the lower ends of each electrode needle 502 are at the same height and on the same plane, the vertical position of each electrode needle 502 is adjustable on the needle holder 501. When the lower end of one or more electrode needles 502 is higher than the lower ends of other electrode needles 502, the position of this one or more electrode needles 502 can be lowered to make the lower ends of each electrode needle 502 at the same height.

[0028] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2The needle holder 501 is equipped with the same number of linear motors 503 as the electrode needles 502. Each electrode needle 502 is mounted on the needle holder 501 via a corresponding linear motor 503, allowing for individual adjustment of the vertical position of each electrode needle 502. Those skilled in the art will understand that the linear motors 503 here are micro motors. In some other embodiments, the linear motors 503 may not be provided. Instead, the needle holder 501 may have mounting holes equal in number to the electrode needles 502. The electrode needles 502 are inserted into these mounting holes with a tight fit. Adjusting the position or height of the electrode needles 502 simply requires changing the insertion depth within the mounting holes.

[0029] Needle holder 501 is mounted on frame 10 via position adjustment mechanism 60. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The position adjustment mechanism 60 includes a first column 601 and a second column 602 connected to the frame 10. The first column 601 and the second column 602 extend vertically, with one located on the left side of the conveyor line 20 and the other on the right side of the conveyor line 20.

[0030] The position adjustment mechanism 60 also includes a slide that can slide up and down along the first column 601 and the second column 602. The left and right ends of the slide are respectively connected to the first column 601 and the second column 602 through the first guide sleeve 603 and the second guide sleeve 604. The slide also includes a positioning slide rail 605 connected between the first guide sleeve 603 and the second guide sleeve 604. The length extension direction of the positioning slide rail 605 is the second direction. The needle seat 501 is slidably mounted on the positioning slide rail 605, thus realizing the installation of the tool electrode 50 on the frame 10 in a reciprocating manner along the second direction.

[0031] The position adjustment mechanism 60 also includes a drive mechanism 606 for driving the tool electrode 50 to reciprocate. In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 606 includes a drive motor 6061, which is connected to the needle holder 501. The transmission connection structure can be a synchronous belt, a lead screw, etc., so that the drive motor 6061 can drive the needle holder 501 to reciprocate along the positioning slide rail 605.

[0032] In order to change the vertical position of the tool electrode 50, the position adjustment mechanism 60 also includes a height adjustment mechanism. The height adjustment mechanism includes a lifting motor 607 fixed to the upper end of the first column 601 and the second column 602, and a lifting rod 608 cooperating with the lifting motor 607. The lower end of the lifting rod 608 is fixedly connected to the slide, and the lifting rod 608 is a threaded rod, which cooperates with the lifting motor 607 to form a nut screw mechanism, so that the lifting motor 607 can drive the lifting rod 608 to move vertically, thereby moving the slide vertically to change the position height of the tool electrode 50.

[0033] To achieve a fixed connection with the lifting rod 608, the carriage also has a connecting crossbar 609 located above and fixed relative to the positioning slide rail 605, with the lower end of the lifting rod 608 fixedly connected to the connecting crossbar 609. In other embodiments, the position adjustment mechanism 60 may also employ other two-dimensional moving mechanisms in the prior art to enable the tool electrode 50 to be reciprocally moved on the frame 10 and to adjust its height.

[0034] Electrical EDM equipment also includes a control system; please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The electro-erosion machining equipment is equipped with a control box 70 for installing the control system hardware. The control system can control the conveying speed of the conveyor line 20 and the reciprocating speed of the tool electrode 50. The control box 70 has an operating interface for the operator. The control box 70 is connected to the circuit of the electro-erosion machining equipment via external wires 701, including connections to the position adjustment mechanism 60, the power device for driving the conveyor line 20, and each linear motor 503, so that the control box 70 can control the operation of each linear motor 503 to adjust the position and height of the corresponding electrode needle 502.

[0035] Both the tool electrode 50 and the electrical connection structure 40 are connected to a circuit, which is a pulse circuit. By connecting to the circuit, the workpiece 30, which is electrically connected to the electrical connection structure 40, can be energized to form a workpiece electrode.

[0036] During electro-electro-optical machining (EED), the tool electrode 50 is positioned at a suitable height. This suitable height means that when the workpiece 30 is directly below the tool electrode 50, the distance between the lower end of the electrode needle 502 of the tool electrode 50 and the workpiece 30 meets the required EOD discharge distance. The control system controls the conveyor line 20 to move the workpiece 30 from back to front. Simultaneously, the control system also controls the drive mechanism 606 to drive the tool electrode 50 to reciprocate. As the workpiece 30 passes under the tool electrode 50, the electrode needle 502 of the tool electrode 50 discharges onto the workpiece 30, performing EOD for material removal. After the workpiece 30 has passed under the tool electrode 50 with the conveyor line 20, the EOD of the workpiece 30 is complete, and the required circuit pattern 301 is machined onto the workpiece 30. Depending on the actual shape of the circuit pattern 301, the movement of the conveyor line 20 can be continuous or step-by-step.

[0037] Since the electro-erosion machining of workpiece 30 is completed under the tool electrode 50 while being transported by the conveyor line 20, the electro-erosion machining efficiency is very high. Furthermore, the tool electrode 50 can be used 5,000 to 30,000 times, enabling streamlined production. Especially in PCB manufacturing, the copper layer of workpiece 30 is only 0.03mm-0.07mm thick, with a maximum thickness of only 0.1mm, resulting in very low consumption of the tool electrode 50. The tool electrode 50 can be used hundreds of thousands of times, fully meeting the processing needs of large batches of workpiece 30. This allows the electro-erosion machining equipment in this application to perform high-efficiency processing on large batches of workpiece 30. Such electro-erosion machining equipment can avoid the environmental pollution caused by chemical etching in PCB production.

[0038] Furthermore, electro-erosion machining (EEM) is characterized by high machining accuracy, reaching ±0.01mm, enabling EEM equipment to be used in high-precision machining fields. Therefore, using this EEM equipment allows for low-cost, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly machining production.

[0039] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The electrical connection structure 40 includes a conductive voltage clamping member 401 movably disposed on the conveyor line 20. The electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a conductive slide rail 80 fixed relative to the frame 10. The conductive slide rail 80 is disposed beside the conveyor line 20 along a second direction and has a certain length along a first direction. The conductive slide rail 80 is connected to the circuit. The conductive voltage clamping member 401 can be a conductive voltage clamping plate, a conductive voltage clamping rod, etc. The conductive voltage clamping member 401 can be made entirely of conductive material or partially of insulating material, and has a conductive portion, sufficient to allow the workpiece 30 to be connected to the circuit. Similarly, the conductive slide rail 80 can also be made entirely of conductive material or partially of insulating material, but has a conductive portion.

[0040] The conveyor line 20 has a loading position, a working position, and a unloading position in its conveying stroke. The loading position is located behind the rear end of the conductive slide rail 80. At the loading position, the conductive voltage clamping member 401 does not cooperate with the conductive slide rail 80, so that the workpiece 30 can be placed between the conductive voltage clamping member 401 and the conveyor line 20. At the working position, the conductive voltage clamping member 401 cooperates with the conductive slide rail 80 and is connected to the circuit. The conductive slide rail 80 forces the conductive voltage clamping member 401 to press the workpiece 30. The tool electrode 50 performs electro-erosion machining on the workpiece 30 at the working position. The unloading position is located in front of the front end of the conductive slide rail 80. At the unloading position, the conductive voltage clamping member 401 disengages from the conductive slide rail 80, releasing the pressure of the conductive voltage clamping member 401 on the workpiece 30, making it easier to unload the processed workpiece 30 from the conveyor line 20. With this structure, the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 can reliably hold the workpiece 30 in position on the conveyor line 20 while connecting the workpiece 30 to the circuit. The installation, connection to the circuit, and unloading of the workpiece 30 on the conveyor line 20 after processing are very convenient.

[0041] In some other embodiments, the structure for connecting the workpiece 30 to the circuit and the structure for holding the workpiece 30 in position on the conveyor line 20 can be relatively independent structures, i.e., there is a dedicated mounting structure to hold the workpiece 30 in position on the conveyor line 20. Of course, if the workpiece 30 can be held in position on the conveyor line 20 by itself, the mounting structure may not be necessary, and the electrical connection structure 40 only needs to be used to connect the workpiece 30 to the circuit.

[0042] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is a voltage-conducting clamping plate, pivotally connected to the conveyor line 20, allowing it to rotate relative to the conveyor line 20 around its rotation axis. The rotation axis of the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 extends along the conveying direction (i.e., the first direction) of the conveyor line 20. The voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is a lever structure, including a first end 4011 and a second end 4012 located on both sides of the rotation axis. In the working position, the second end 4012 supports and presses against the conductive slide rail 80, enabling the electrical connection structure 40 to connect to the circuit. Simultaneously, the conductive slide rail 80 lifts the second end 4012, allowing the first end 4011 to press against the workpiece 30, ensuring a reliable electrical connection. Setting the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 as a lever reduces the height of the conductive slide rail 80. To ensure durability, the contact parts between the conductive slide rail 80 and the second end 4012 can be made of self-lubricating and conductive materials, such as graphite-based composite materials or copper-based materials.

[0043] In some other embodiments, the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 can also be movably mounted on the conveyor line 20, with the lower end used to clamp the workpiece 30 and the upper end used to cooperate with the conductive slide rail 80. Correspondingly, the position of the conductive slide rail 80 can be set relatively high so that the upper end of the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 can cooperate with the lower side of the conductive slide rail 80.

[0044] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 An elastic drive structure 402 is provided between the voltage-conducting clamp 401 and the conveyor line 20. The elastic drive structure 402 can drive the first end 4011 of the voltage-conducting clamp 401 away from the conveyor line 20, so that the voltage-conducting clamp 401 is opened relative to the conveyor line 20, which facilitates the placement of the workpiece 30 between the voltage-conducting clamp 401 and the conveyor line 20 at the loading position. Based on the pivot connection of the voltage-conducting clamp 401 on the conveyor line 20, the elastic drive structure 402 can be a torsion spring. In some other embodiments, the elastic drive structure 402 can also be a compression spring disposed between the first end 4011 and the conveyor line 20. Before the second end 4012 engages with the conductive slide rail 80, the compression spring is in an unfolded state, so that the first end 4011 is opened away from the conveyor line 20. After the second end 4012 engages with the conductive slide rail 80, the compression spring is compressed.

[0045] When the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is movably mounted on the conveyor line 20, the elastic drive structure 402 can be a spring disposed between the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 and the conveyor line 20. When the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is not engaged with the conductive slide rail 80, the spring keeps the lower end of the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 away from the conveyor line 20. After the upper end of the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is engaged with the conductive slide rail 80, the conductive slide rail 80 forces the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 to move down and press against the workpiece 30 to achieve electrical connection.

[0046] A guiding structure is also provided between the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 and the conductive slide rail 80. Through the guidance of this structure, the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 can automatically and smoothly slide onto the upper side of the conductive slide rail 80 and be supported by it when moving from the loading position to the working position. In some embodiments, please refer to... Figure 5 Based on the fact that the loading position is located behind the working position, the guiding structure includes a first guiding slope 801 located at the rear end of the conductive slide rail 80. The first guiding slope 801 is an inclined surface that gradually rises from back to front, which can guide the second end 4012 to slide onto the conductive slide rail 80. In some other embodiments, the first guiding slope 801 can be provided on the second end 4012 of the conductive voltage clamping member 401. The first guiding slope 801 can also be an arc-shaped surface. To prevent the second end 4012 of the conductive voltage clamping member 401 from snapping against the conveyor line 20 when it disengages from the conductive slide rail 80, the front end of the conductive slide rail 80 has a second guiding slope 802, which is an inclined surface that gradually decreases from back to front.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the conveyor line 20 is a conveyor belt, which is a circular rotary structure and is rotatably mounted on the frame 10. The upper layer conveys from back to front, and the lower layer rotates from front to back. Using a conveyor belt gives the conveyor line 20 the advantages of simple structure and easy layout. In other embodiments, the conveyor line 20 can also be a chain conveyor structure, which includes a moving conveyor chain with conveyor trays connected to it. Each conveyor tray has an electrical connection structure 40. The electrical connection structure 40 can also include a conductive spring piece riveted to one end of the conveyor line 20. The conductive spring piece presses the workpiece 30 onto the conveyor line 20 through elastic deformation of its free end. To enable the conductive spring piece to conduct electricity into the circuit, a conductive connection structure can be provided on the conveyor line 20. The conductive connection structure moves with the conveyor line 20 and is conductively connected to the circuit and the conductive spring piece.

[0048] Considering that the workpiece 30 needs to maintain a stable posture and a suitable distance from the tool electrode 50 during processing, the electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a support structure corresponding to the conveyor belt. This support structure includes a support plate portion 90, located on the side of the conveyor belt facing away from the tool electrode 50, specifically on the lower side of the upper layer of the annular conveyor belt. The support plate portion 90 supports the portion of the conveyor belt carrying the workpiece 30 during electro-erosion machining, ensuring the flatness of the conveyor belt and thus ensuring the stability of the workpiece 30's height. The support structure also includes an upward-folding portion formed by the upward-folding of the support plate portion 90 along both sides of the conveyor belt width direction (i.e., the second direction), comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The horizontal portion is located on the upper side of the conveyor belt and forms a conductive slide rail 80. This integrated arrangement of the conductive slide rail 80 and the support plate portion 90 allows for simultaneous manufacturing and installation of the conductive slide rail 80 and the support plate portion 90, facilitating the manufacturing of the electro-erosion machining equipment. Furthermore, since the support structure is fixed relative to the frame 10, the upward-folding portion can limit the conveyor belt in the second direction.

[0049] As described above, two conductive slide rails 80 are installed on the left and right sides of the conveyor belt. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7The electrical connection structure 40 includes four conductive clamping elements 401, arranged in pairs to form two columns, with the clamping elements 401 spaced apart. This arrangement ensures that the electrical connection structure 40 does not affect the interaction between the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt drive shaft 201 at the reversing point. In other words, the reversing rotation of the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt drive shaft 201 will not affect the electrical connection structure 40 on the conveyor belt. The number of electrical connection structures 40 on the conveyor line 20 can be either one or multiple locations spaced apart along the conveying direction of the conveyor line 20. The electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a conveyor belt drive motor 202, which is connected to the conveyor belt drive shaft 201. The conveyor belt drive motor 202 drives the conveyor belt to rotate by rotating the conveyor belt drive shaft 201.

[0050] In some other embodiments, the support plate portion 90 can be set separately, that is, the support plate portion 90 is not an integral structure with the conductive slide rail 80, and the separately set support plate portion 90 is the support plate, which is used to support the conveyor belt.

[0051] To ensure stable conductive contact between the conductive clamping element 401 and the workpiece 30, in some embodiments, please refer to... Figure 6 The first end 4011 of the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 is provided with an elastic floating pressure head 4013, which is elastically and floatingly mounted on the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 by means of a spring 4014. The provision of the elastic floating pressure head 4013 also enables the voltage-conducting clamping member 401 to cooperate with workpieces 30 of different thicknesses.

[0052] During electro-electro-optical machining (EED), an insulating medium is required between the tool electrode 50 and the workpiece 30. Therefore, the EED equipment also includes a spraying system 100, which includes a nozzle 1001 and a pipe 1002 connected to the nozzle 1001. During machining, the nozzle 1001 sprays an insulating liquid medium towards the mating area between the tool electrode 50 and the workpiece 30. Kerosene, mineral oil, or deionized water are commonly used as the insulating liquid medium. Because the sprayed insulating medium is in a flowing state, it can carry away the metal powder generated during EED, preventing metal powder accumulation from affecting the EED accuracy, and also achieving heat dissipation. To better carry away the metal powder generated during EED, the insulating liquid medium can be sprayed horizontally or at a certain angle to the horizontal. Based on the clamping of the conductive clamping member 401, the workpiece 30 is reliably held in position and is not affected by the insulating liquid medium.

[0053] Given that workpiece 30 has a certain width, please refer to the following embodiments: Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7The nozzle 1001 has a flat outlet structure, which increases the spraying area of ​​the nozzle 1001. The frame 10 has a liquid storage tank 101 located below the conveyor line 20. The liquid storage tank 101 can collect insulating media and metal powder generated by electro-erosion, which facilitates the recycling of metal powder.

[0054] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 7 The EDM equipment is also equipped with an adjustment plate 110. The size of the adjustment plate 110 is the same as that of the workpiece 30, and it is conductive. Before processing, the EDM equipment can be adjusted using the following method: The pattern to be processed is imported into the EDM equipment via computer, USB flash drive, or other mobile storage device. The adjustment board 110 is installed on the conveyor line 20 via the electrical connection structure 40. The interface of the control box 70 (containing a circuit control unit for controlling the EDM equipment) is used for operation. The adjustment mode is started, the electrode current is set, and then the horizontal stroke and vertical stroke of the tool electrode 50 are set. After setting, the lifting motor 607 is run. The adjusted vertical stroke controls the lifting motor 607 to drive the carriage along the first column 601 and... The second column 602 slides, causing the tool electrode 50 to descend. When the lower end of the electrode needle 502 of the tool electrode 50 is about to contact the adjusting plate 110 but hasn't yet, for example, within a distance of 0.5mm, an electrical spark will occur between the electrode needle 502 and the adjusting plate 110, causing electro-erosion. Simultaneously, the spraying system 100 sprays an insulating medium. At this point, the circuit control unit will stop the tool electrode 50 from descending. Then, the circuit control unit will automatically record the vertical position of the tool electrode 50 as it descends, and then control the tool electrode 50 to rise. It will stop when it reaches the highest position, and the spraying system 100 will be shut down. At this point, the adjusting plate 110 can be replaced with the workpiece 30 that needs to be processed.

[0055] The electrode needles 502 can also be leveled using the adjusting plate 110. When the needle holder 501 approaches the adjusting plate 110, power is supplied to each electrode needle 502. The linear motor 503 of the energized electrode needle 502 then operates, causing the electrode needle 502 to descend. When the adjusting plate 110 begins to discharge, the linear motor 503 of the electrode needle 502 stops, and the power to the electrode needle 502 is then de-energized. This process is repeated for each electrode needle 502 that needs to be raised until the needle surfaces of all electrode needles 502 are aligned on a single plane.

[0056] This application also provides an electro-erosion machining method. When implementing this method, the electro-erosion machining equipment described in the above embodiments can be used to process the workpiece 30. During operation, the workpiece 30 to be processed is placed on the conveyor line 20. As mentioned earlier, the tool electrode 50 has multiple electrode needles 502. The control system controls the conveyor line 20 to transport the workpiece 30 along a first direction and controls the tool electrode 50 to reciprocate in a second direction to perform electro-erosion machining on the workpiece 30. The tool electrode 50 moves unidirectionally in the second direction once, completing one row of electro-erosion machining. The control system controls the conveyor line 20 to advance a set distance, and this cycle is repeated to complete the electro-erosion machining of the workpiece 30. Of course, in other embodiments, depending on the actual shape of the circuit pattern 301 to be processed, the control system can also control the conveyor line 20 to advance continuously. This electro-erosion machining method may also include the aforementioned machine adjustment method.

[0057] The above examples illustrate this application only to aid understanding and are not intended to limit its scope. Those skilled in the art to which this application pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the ideas presented.

Claims

1. An electro-erosion machining equipment, characterized in that, include: frame; A conveyor line for conveying workpieces along a first direction; A tool electrode is reciprocally mounted on the frame along a second direction and located above the conveyor line. The tool electrode includes a plurality of electrode needles, one end of each electrode needle facing the conveyor line. A driving mechanism is used to drive the tool electrode to reciprocate along a second direction; A control system for controlling the movement of the conveyor line and the tool electrode; Wherein, the first direction and the second direction are both horizontal and not parallel. The tool electrode is connected to the circuit. The conveyor line has an electrical connection structure for conductively connecting the workpiece to the circuit, so that the workpiece on the conveyor line can form a workpiece electrode, so that the tool electrode can discharge to the workpiece to perform electro-erosion machining.

2. The electro-erosion machining equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tool electrode includes a needle holder that is reciprocally mounted on the frame along the second direction, and each electrode needle is mounted on the needle holder in an adjustable vertical position.

3. The electrical erosion machining equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the electrode needles is mounted on the needle holder via a linear motor, and the linear motor can drive the corresponding electrode needle to adjust its vertical position.

4. The electrical discharge machining equipment as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

5. The electrical discharge machining equipment as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The electrical connection structure includes a conductive clamping element movably disposed on the conveyor line. The electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a conductive slide rail fixed relative to the frame. The conductive slide rail is connected to the circuit. The conveyor line has a loading position, a working position, and a unloading position in its conveying stroke. At the loading position, the conductive clamping element does not engage with the conductive slide rail, allowing the workpiece to be placed between the conductive clamping element and the conveyor line. At the working position, the conductive clamping element engages with the conductive slide rail and is connected to the circuit, and the conductive slide rail forces the conductive clamping element to press the workpiece. The tool electrode performs electro-erosion machining on the workpiece at the working position. At the unloading position, the conductive clamping element disengages from the conductive slide rail.

6. The electrical erosion machining equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The voltage-conducting clamping member is pivotally connected to the conveyor line, and the rotation axis of the voltage-conducting clamping member extends along the conveying direction of the conveyor line. The voltage-conducting clamping member includes a first end and a second end located on both sides of the rotation axis to form a lever structure. In the working position, the second end is supported on the conductive slide rail, so that the first end can press the workpiece.

7. The electrical erosion machining equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The conductive clamping member has an elastic drive structure between itself and the conveyor line. The elastic drive structure is used to drive the part of the conductive clamping member that is used to cooperate with the workpiece away from the conveyor line. The conductive clamping member has a guide structure between itself and the conductive slide rail. The guide structure is used to guide the conductive clamping member to cooperate with the conductive slide rail when the conductive clamping member moves from the loading position to the working position.

8. The electrical erosion machining equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The conveyor line is a conveyor belt, and the electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a support structure. The support structure includes a support plate portion, which is located on the side of the conveyor belt away from the tool electrode. It is used to support the part of the conveyor belt that carries the workpiece during electro-erosion machining. The support structure also includes an upturned portion formed by at least one side of the support plate portion along the width direction of the conveyor belt. The upturned portion constitutes the conductive slide rail.

9. The electro-erosion machining equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The conductive clamping member has an elastic floating pressure head at one end that mates with the workpiece, and the conductive clamping member clamps the workpiece through the elastic floating pressure head.

10. The electrical discharge machining equipment as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The conveyor line is a conveyor belt, and the electro-erosion machining equipment also includes a support plate. The support plate is located on the side of the conveyor belt facing away from the tool electrode and is used to support the part of the conveyor belt that carries the workpiece during electro-erosion machining.

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