An electrical discharge machining system includes a semiconductor workpiece, a voltage source, an EDM tool, and an illumination system. The illumination system is configured to illuminate the semiconductor workpiece in order to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor workpiece. The voltage source establishes an electric potential difference between the workpiece and the EDM tool while the illumination system illuminates the semiconductor workpiece. The electric potential difference is such that an electrical discharge occurs between the workpiece and the EDM tool, thereby removing material from the workpiece.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a wire electrical discharge machining system allowing a wire electrical discharge machining device and a robot to operate in conjunction with each other with high efficiency. A wire electrical discharge machining system 1 includes wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15, and a robot unit 17 that mounts a workpiece on the wire electrical discharge machining device. The wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15 may each perform either rough machining with supported cores or finishing machining after the cores are removed. Subsequently, core processing may be performed by means of a corresponding dedicated apparatus. Also, the core processing may be performed by means of a single common apparatus. The robot unit 17 mounts and collects the workpiece so as to allow these wire electrical discharge machining apparatuses to effectively operate, thereby providing wire electrical discharge machining with improved efficiency for the overall system.

A wire electrical discharge machine includes a first voltage applying circuit, a second voltage applying circuit, and a switch controller. The first voltage applying circuit includes a first DC power source for applying a positive polarity voltage across an electrode gap, and a first switch for on/off-switching of application of the positive polarity voltage. The second voltage applying circuit includes a second DC power source for applying a reverse polarity voltage to the electrode gap, and a second switch for on/off-switching of application of the reverse polarity voltage. The switch controller controls the first switch and the second switch so that the first switch and the second switch are not turned on simultaneously. The first DC power source and the second DC power source are set up so that the absolute value of the reverse polarity voltage is lower than the absolute value of the positive polarity voltage.

A wire electrical discharge machine includes a first voltage applying circuit, a second voltage applying circuit, and a switch controller. The first voltage applying circuit includes a first DC power source for applying a positive polarity voltage across an electrode gap, and a first switch for on/off-switching of application of the positive polarity voltage. The second voltage applying circuit includes a second DC power source for applying a reverse polarity voltage to the electrode gap, and a second switch for on/off-switching of application of the reverse polarity voltage. The switch controller controls the first switch and the second switch so that the first switch and the second switch are not turned on simultaneously. The first DC power source and the second DC power source are set up so that the absolute value of the reverse polarity voltage is lower than the absolute value of the positive polarity voltage.

The object of the present invention is to make it possible to maintain a stable electric discharge and to achieve a stable quality and machining performance even when a work having a non-uniform composition is machined.

A wire electric discharge machining device performs electric discharge machining on a work while controlling an inter-electrode distance between a wire and the work based on an inter-electrode voltage between the wire and the work so as to match a set target voltage. The wire electric discharge machining device includes an inter-electrode voltage measuring unit that measures the inter-electrode voltage, an actual amplitude calculating unit that calculates an amplitude of the measured inter-electrode voltage, and a target voltage correcting unit that corrects the target voltage in such a way that the calculated amplitude approaches the target amplitude that is set to a value larger than zero.

The object of the present invention is to make it possible to maintain a stable electric discharge and to achieve a stable quality and machining performance even when a work having a non-uniform composition is machined.

A wire electric discharge machining device performs electric discharge machining on a work while controlling an inter-electrode distance between a wire and the work based on an inter-electrode voltage between the wire and the work so as to match a set target voltage. The wire electric discharge machining device includes an inter-electrode voltage measuring unit that measures the inter-electrode voltage, an actual amplitude calculating unit that calculates an amplitude of the measured inter-electrode voltage, and a target voltage correcting unit that corrects the target voltage in such a way that the calculated amplitude approaches the target amplitude that is set to a value larger than zero.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a wire electrical discharge machining system allowing a wire electrical discharge machining device and a robot to operate in conjunction with each other with high efficiency. A wire electrical discharge machining system 1 includes wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15, and a robot unit 17 that mounts a workpiece on the wire electrical discharge machining device. The wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15 may each perform either rough machining with supported cores or finishing machining after the cores are removed. Subsequently, core processing may be performed by means of a corresponding dedicated apparatus. Also, the core processing may be performed by means of a single common apparatus. The robot unit 17 mounts and collects the workpiece so as to allow these wire electrical discharge machining apparatuses to effectively operate, thereby providing wire electrical discharge machining with improved efficiency for the overall system.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a wire electrical discharge machining system allowing a wire electrical discharge machining device and a robot to operate in conjunction with each other with high efficiency. A wire electrical discharge machining system 1 includes wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15, and a robot unit 17 that mounts a workpiece on the wire electrical discharge machining device. The wire electrical discharge machining devices 7, 11, and 15 may each perform either rough machining with supported cores or finishing machining after the cores are removed. Subsequently, core processing may be performed by means of a corresponding dedicated apparatus. Also, the core processing may be performed by means of a single common apparatus. The robot unit 17 mounts and collects the workpiece so as to allow these wire electrical discharge machining apparatuses to effectively operate, thereby providing wire electrical discharge machining with improved efficiency for the overall system.

A wire electrical discharge machine includes: a multiple number of switching elements connected in parallel with each other and configured to supply the machining current to the electrode gap to perform electrical discharge machining; a multiple number of switches each connected in series with the associated one of the multiple switching elements and configured to cut off each of the multiple switching elements; and a control device configured to perform control when at least one of the multiple switching elements fails so as to disconnect the failed switching elements by means of the associated switches and also change the machining conditions in accordance with the number of the failed switching elements.

A wire electrical discharge machine includes: a multiple number of switching elements connected in parallel with each other and configured to supply the machining current to the electrode gap to perform electrical discharge machining; a multiple number of switches each connected in series with the associated one of the multiple switching elements and configured to cut off each of the multiple switching elements; and a control device configured to perform control when at least one of the multiple switching elements fails so as to disconnect the failed switching elements by means of the associated switches and also change the machining conditions in accordance with the number of the failed switching elements.