Wire EDM Component Wear Prediction for Maintenance Planning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wire electrical discharge machines lack the ability to predict component consumption accurately before machining, making it difficult to anticipate and manage wear and tear effectively.

Innovation Solution

A prediction device connected to wire electrical discharge machines that predicts the rate of component consumption based on machining conditions, using a prediction unit and display unit to provide operators with anticipated consumption rates and amounts, allowing for proactive maintenance and condition selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If component consumption is monitored after machining, then wear and tear can be tracked, but the ability to predict future consumption and plan maintenance is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumption measurementVSAvoidmaintenance planning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The prediction device calculates and displays the predicted rate of component consumption before machining operations begin. By using the machining condition acquisition unit to obtain parameters and the prediction unit to compute consumption rates based on stored relationships, the system enables operators to plan maintenance activities in advance, avoiding unplanned interruptions and optimizing maintenance scheduling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If machining conditions are optimized for productivity, then production efficiency increases, but component consumption rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachining efficiencyVSAvoidcomponent consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The prediction device provides feedback by displaying the predicted rate of component consumption corresponding to different machining conditions. This allows operators to see the trade-off between productivity and component consumption, enabling them to select optimal machining conditions that balance production efficiency with component longevity, thereby reducing unplanned maintenance interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If component replacement is performed frequently, then machine interruption risk is reduced, but operational time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachine continuityVSAvoidreplacement frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By displaying the predicted rate of component consumption before machining begins, the system enables operators to proactively plan component replacement timing. This preliminary information allows scheduling replacements during planned maintenance windows rather than performing emergency replacements during production, thereby maintaining machine reliability while minimizing operational time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3778087A1Prediction device
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 FANUC LTD
  • EP3778087A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3778087A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3778087A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a prediction device (10), to which one or more wire electrical discharge machines are connected, the one or more wire electrical discharge machines each performing machining on an object to be machined according to a predetermined machining condition while moving a wire electrode relatively with respect to the object to be machined along a machining path, the prediction device including a prediction unit (16) that predicts, for a predetermined component constituting the wire electrical discharge machine, a predicted rate of consumption indicative of a rate of consumption based on the machining condition when the wire electrode is moved relatively by a unit distance, and a display unit (18) that displays the predicted rate of consumption of the component.