A wire electrical discharge machine for performing electrical discharge machining on a workpiece to be machined by applying voltage to an electrode gap formed between a wire electrode and the workpiece to generate electrical discharge at the electrode gap under predetermined machining conditions while conveying the wire electrode along a transfer path, includes: a wire breakage detector for detecting a breakage of the wire electrode; a position calculator for calculating the breakage position of the wire electrode in the transfer path; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the machining conditions when the breakage position is in a predetermined section of the transfer path.

A wire electrical discharge machine for performing electrical discharge machining on a workpiece to be machined by applying voltage to an electrode gap formed between a wire electrode and the workpiece to generate electrical discharge at the electrode gap under predetermined machining conditions while conveying the wire electrode along a transfer path, includes: a wire breakage detector for detecting a breakage of the wire electrode; a position calculator for calculating the breakage position of the wire electrode in the transfer path; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the machining conditions when the breakage position is in a predetermined section of the transfer path.

A method of yielding a thinner product wafer from a thicker base SiC wafer cut from a SiC ingot includes: supporting the base SiC wafer with a support substrate: and while the base SiC wafer is supported by the support substrate, cutting through the base SiC wafer in a direction parallel to a first main surface of the base SiC wafer using a wire as part of a wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process, to separate the product wafer from the base SiC wafer, the product wafer being attached to the support substrate when cut from the base SiC wafer.

A method of yielding a thinner product wafer from a thicker base SiC wafer cut from a SiC ingot includes: supporting the base SiC wafer with a support substrate: and while the base SiC wafer is supported by the support substrate, cutting through the base SiC wafer in a direction parallel to a first main surface of the base SiC wafer using a wire as part of a wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process, to separate the product wafer from the base SiC wafer, the product wafer being attached to the support substrate when cut from the base SiC wafer.

Systems and methods for sterilization using nonthermal plasma (NTP) ionization are disclosed. An example method for inactivation of viable microorganisms includes: inactivating viable microorganisms in a predetermined volume by: installing a plurality of ceiling mounted direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC), bipolar or steady-state, ion emitter modules based on a geometry of the predetermined volume; and producing, using the plurality of ceiling mounted ion emitter modules, a DC or AC, bipolar or steady-state, nonthermal plasma (NTP), each of the ceiling mounted ion emitter modules comprising a high voltage power supply (HVPS).

Disclosed is an electrical discharge machining apparatus at least comprising a carrier platform and an electrical discharge machining unit. The carrier platform is used to carry at least one to-be-machined object. The electrical discharge machining unit comprises an electrode, a jig and a power supply unit. When the electrical discharge machining unit performs an electrical discharge machining procedure on a machined target area of the to-be-machined object along a machining direction, an electrical discharge section of the electrode and the machined target area of the to-be-machined object move relatively. The invention is capable of improving a machining procedure, saving an overall machining time and saving a time required for electrode replacement.

Disclosed is an electrical discharge machining apparatus at least comprising a carrier platform and an electrical discharge machining unit. The carrier platform is used to carry at least one to-be-machined object. The electrical discharge machining unit comprises an electrode, a jig and a power supply unit. When the electrical discharge machining unit performs an electrical discharge machining procedure on a machined target area of the to-be-machined object along a machining direction, an electrical discharge section of the electrode and the machined target area of the to-be-machined object move relatively. The invention is capable of improving a machining procedure, saving an overall machining time and saving a time required for electrode replacement.

A method for the monitoring of a wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process, the method comprising the steps of: setting a unit observation length for the signal acquisition, continuously acquiring at least one process signal which is representative of an amount of material removed by at least one discharge and the position (X;Y) of said at least one discharge, and determining, based on said at least one process signal and one or more properties of a current machining, a cumulated amount of material removed per unit observation length along a machining path, including amounts of material removed by travelling in a forward cutting direction and amounts of material removed by travelling in a reverse cutting direction.

A dielectric working fluid processor for processing dielectric working fluid used in a wire electrical discharge machine includes: a dirty liquid tank for storing dielectric working fluid containing machining swarf; a filter for removing machining swarf from the dielectric working fluid in the dirty liquid tank; a clean liquid tank for storing the dielectric working fluid from which the machining swarf has been removed by the filter; a pump for supplying dielectric working fluid from the dirty liquid tank to the filter; an inverter for controlling electric power to be supplied to the pump; a pump controller for controlling the rotation speed of the pump by varying the frequency of electric power supplied from the inverter to the pump; and a feed pressure obtainer for obtaining the feed pressure of the dielectric working fluid supplied from the pump to the filter, based on the frequency of the electric power.

A dielectric working fluid processor for processing dielectric working fluid used in a wire electrical discharge machine includes: a dirty liquid tank for storing dielectric working fluid containing machining swarf; a filter for removing machining swarf from the dielectric working fluid in the dirty liquid tank; a clean liquid tank for storing the dielectric working fluid from which the machining swarf has been removed by the filter; a pump for supplying dielectric working fluid from the dirty liquid tank to the filter; an inverter for controlling electric power to be supplied to the pump; a pump controller for controlling the rotation speed of the pump by varying the frequency of electric power supplied from the inverter to the pump; and a feed pressure obtainer for obtaining the feed pressure of the dielectric working fluid supplied from the pump to the filter, based on the frequency of the electric power.