To keep an electrode guide from interfering with an object such as a workpiece during the workpiece processing period, in the present invention, a path-generating device of an electrical discharge machine that is provided with an electrode guide for supporting a rod-shaped electrode is configured so as to be equipped with: a shape data-reading unit for reading the initial shape of the workpiece prior to processing and a target shape of the workpiece; an electrode-path-generating section or generating an electrode path for moving the electrode laterally on the basis of the target shape of the workpiece; and a guide path-generating section for generating an electrode guide path, which avoids interference between the electrode guide and the workpiece, on the basis of the initial shape of the workpiece.

A numerical controller for controlling a wire electrical discharge machine generates section data such that a machining path commanded by a machining program is divided into sections with a sufficient distance, generates data such that the individual sections are re-approximated to a straight line or a circular arc based on the generated section data, and adjusts an operation of the wire electrical discharge machine at a corner portion and a circular-arc portion of the machining path, based on the re-approximation section data.

A numerical controller for controlling a wire electrical discharge machine generates section data such that a machining path commanded by a machining program is divided into sections with a sufficient distance, generates data such that the individual sections are re-approximated to a straight line or a circular arc based on the generated section data, and adjusts an operation of the wire electrical discharge machine at a corner portion and a circular-arc portion of the machining path, based on the re-approximation section data.

An electrical discharge machine includes: a machining power supply having a plurality of different circuit states, and configured to be capable of being set to one circuit state of the plurality of circuit states by switching at least one of electrical connection and electrical setting; a state determining unit configured to, when each of the plurality of circuit states is set as the circuit state of the machining power supply, determine whether or not the set circuit state is normal; a failure portion specifying unit configured to specify a failure portion of the machining power supply based on a determination result with respect to each of the plurality of circuit states obtained by the state determining unit; and a reporting unit (a display unit or the like) configured to report the failure portion specified by the failure portion specifying unit to an operator.

A method of polishing a surface of an object disposed within a gas chamber is provided. The method includes filling the gas chamber with a discharging medium to a predefined pressure, applying a voltage between an electrode and the surface, calibrating a height of the electrode relative to the surface so as to establish electrical breakdown threshold criteria, and scanning the electrode with respect to the surface so as to sequentially position the electrode over a plurality of locations on the surface, each location characterized by a surface error. When a respective location in the plurality of locations has a surface error that meets the electrical breakdown threshold criteria, electrical breakdown occurs, whereby the electrical breakdown results in a discharging pulse that polishes the surface.

A method of polishing a surface of an object disposed within a gas chamber is provided. The method includes filling the gas chamber with a discharging medium to a predefined pressure, applying a voltage between an electrode and the surface, calibrating a height of the electrode relative to the surface so as to establish electrical breakdown threshold criteria, and scanning the electrode with respect to the surface so as to sequentially position the electrode over a plurality of locations on the surface, each location characterized by a surface error. When a respective location in the plurality of locations has a surface error that meets the electrical breakdown threshold criteria, electrical breakdown occurs, whereby the electrical breakdown results in a discharging pulse that polishes the surface.

In a wire electric discharge machine, time from application of a voltage to a machining gap between a workpiece and a wire electrode until occurrence of electric discharge is measured as a discharge delay time, and the measured discharge delay time is integrated over a predetermined measurement period to calculate a discharge delay integrated time. Further, the number of times of the voltage application in the measurement period is counted. An average discharge delay time per voltage application in the measurement period is calculated from the discharge delay integrated time and the number of times of voltage application. The movement of the wire electrode with respect to the workpiece is controlled on the basis of the average discharge delay time.

The invention discloses an electrode wire for electro-discharge machining. The electrode wire comprises a core material and a surface metal layer, and a transition layer is arranged between the core material and the surface metal layer, wherein the core material comprises a brass alloy as a main component, the surface metal layer comprises zinc oxide, the transition layer comprises a copper-zinc alloy as a main component, and irregular cracks are distributed on the zinc oxide layer. The invention also provides a method for manufacturing the electrode wire, which can improve the cutting efficiency, machining yield and cutting quality of the manufactured electrode wire.

The invention discloses an electrode wire for electro-discharge machining. The electrode wire comprises a core material and a surface metal layer, and a transition layer is arranged between the core material and the surface metal layer, wherein the core material comprises a brass alloy as a main component, the surface metal layer comprises zinc oxide, the transition layer comprises a copper-zinc alloy as a main component, and irregular cracks are distributed on the zinc oxide layer. The invention also provides a method for manufacturing the electrode wire, which can improve the cutting efficiency, machining yield and cutting quality of the manufactured electrode wire.

An EDM machine includes a machine head, a wire guide, a machining wire extending from the wire guide to the machine head, a rotary table mounted to a first surface and a fixed table mounted to the rotary table, and a fixture mounted to the fixed table. The fixture includes a mounting portion substantially circumscribing the fixture. The mounting portion further includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface is closer to a first surface than an upper surface of the fixed table.