Wire Electrical Discharge Machine Compressed Air Pressure Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Wire electrical discharge machines face challenges in automatically feeding wire electrodes of varying rigidity without generating excessive noise, as high pressure compressed air is required for low rigidity electrodes, leading to unnecessary noise when handling more rigid electrodes.

Innovation Solution

A wire electrical discharge machine equipped with a feed roller, winding roller, guide member, compressed air supply device, storage medium for rigidity-pressure data, and a controller that adjusts compressed air pressure based on wire electrode rigidity, using a pressure regulating valve or multiple compressed air supply devices to optimize air pressure for each type of electrode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high pressure compressed air is supplied to feed low rigidity wire electrodes, then the wire electrode can be fed straight into the guide member, but noise is excessively increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire feeding reliabilityVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the compressed air supply system adjustable based on wire electrode rigidity. The control unit dynamically selects appropriate compressed air supply conditions (pressure, flow rate, or whether to supply at all) according to the detected wire rigidity, enabling the system to adapt its behavior rather than operating at fixed high pressure for all wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by varying the compressed air supply parameters (pressure, flow rate, or supply state) based on wire electrode rigidity. For high rigidity wires, the compressed air pressure is reduced or supply is stopped entirely, while for low rigidity wires, appropriate compressed air supply is provided. This changes the physical parameters of the compressed air to match the requirements of different wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a high capacity compressor is used to supply highly compressed air for low rigidity wire electrodes, then wire feeding is reliable, but noise is unnecessarily increased for high rigidity wire electrodes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire feeding reliabilityVSAvoidcompressor capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the compressed air supply system adjustable based on wire electrode rigidity. The control unit dynamically selects appropriate compressed air supply conditions (pressure, flow rate, or whether to supply at all) according to the detected wire rigidity, enabling the system to adapt its behavior rather than operating at fixed high pressure for all wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by varying the compressed air supply parameters (pressure, flow rate, or supply state) based on wire electrode rigidity. For high rigidity wires, the compressed air pressure is reduced or supply is stopped entirely, while for low rigidity wires, appropriate compressed air supply is provided. This changes the physical parameters of the compressed air to match the requirements of different wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If compressed air is supplied at high pressure to ensure straight feeding, then wire deflection is prevented, but noise is excessively generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire straightnessVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the compressed air supply system adjustable based on wire electrode rigidity. The control unit dynamically selects appropriate compressed air supply conditions (pressure, flow rate, or whether to supply at all) according to the detected wire rigidity, enabling the system to adapt its behavior rather than operating at fixed high pressure for all wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by varying the compressed air supply parameters (pressure, flow rate, or supply state) based on wire electrode rigidity. For high rigidity wires, the compressed air pressure is reduced or supply is stopped entirely, while for low rigidity wires, appropriate compressed air supply is provided. This changes the physical parameters of the compressed air to match the requirements of different wire types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration allows for reliable auto wire feeding of electrodes of different rigidity levels while minimizing noise by supplying appropriate compressed air pressure, preventing electrode bending and ensuring successful feeding.

Implementation Method 1

a compressed air supply device configured to supply compressed air to the insertion hole so that the compressed air flows through the insertion hole along a feed direction of the wire electrode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompressed air flow: Fluid Spray

Implementation Method 2

a pressure regulating valve arranged in a supply pipe configured to connect the insertion hole with the compressed air supply device, the pressure regulating valve being configured to regulate the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply device to the insertion hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure regulation: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3269484B1Wire electrical discharge machine
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 FANUC LTD
  • EP3269484B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3269484B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3269484B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wire electrical discharge machine (10) includes a guide pipe (22) arranged in a path along which a wire electrode (12) is fed from a feed roller (20) to a workpiece (W), and formed with an insertion hole (22a) through which the wire electrode (12) is inserted, a compressed air supply device (30) configured to supply compressed air to the insertion hole (22a) so that compressed air flows through the insertion hole (22a) along a feed direction of the wire electrode (12), a database (34) configured to store data indicative of a relationship between rigidity information of the wire electrode (12) and pressure information of compressed air, and a controller (36) configured to set pressure of the compressed air supplied to the insertion hole (22a), based on the rigidity information of the wire electrode (12) fed to the workpiece (W) and the data.