In a wire electric discharge machine of the present invention, a control variable detection apparatus is an inter-pole voltage detection apparatus and detects an average inter-pole voltage as a control variable correlating with an inter-pole distance. The wire electric discharge machine comprises a machining feed speed calculation apparatus determining a machining feed speed on the basis of a deviation between target voltage set by a target value setting apparatus 7 and the average inter-pole voltage so as to eliminate the deviation. The wire electric discharge machine further comprises a feed speed distribution apparatus and a relative movement apparatus. The inter-pole distance can be kept constant by the relative movement of a wire electrode and a workpiece made on the basis of a command of thus determined machining feed speed.

A wire electric discharge machine has a function of performing correction of corner shapes independently on an upper surface and a lower surface of workpiece. On the basis of the positions of upper and lower wire guides and the position and the thickness of the workpiece, the wire electric discharge machine calculates, on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece, a shape correction amount in a state in which there is a space between the upper nozzle and the upper surface of the workpiece and also in which there is a space between the lower nozzle and the lower surface of the workpiece, from a correction amount at the time when nozzles of the upper and lower wire guides are closely attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece. The wire electric discharge machine performs shape correction according to the calculated shape correction amount.

A method is provided for manufacturing a component. During this method, a workpiece is provided. An aperture is machined into the workpiece using an electrical discharge machining wire supported by a guide. The machining of the aperture includes moving the guide along a guide path where the electrical discharge machining wire cuts the workpiece along a wire path that is different than the guide path. A speed of the electrical discharge machining wire is maintained during the cutting of the workpiece along the wire path.

A numerical control device that controls electric discharge machining includes: a program path creation unit that analyzes a machining program consisting of a plurality of machining processes including rough machining, semi-finishing machining, and final finishing machining and creates a program path for each of the machining processes; a machining condition storage unit that stores a plurality of machining conditions suited to the machining processes and at least one machining condition suited to an unmachined part; and a machining condition change unit that, when an unmachined part occurs in a prior machining process, changes a machining condition for the current machining processes to a machining condition adapted to the unmachined part.

A machining program editor that edits a machining program in which a machining path for a wire electrode of a wire electrical discharge machine is set, the machining program editor including: a path determination unit configured to determine whether or not the machining path includes a linear path section that crosses a boundary line between a thick portion of a workpiece and a thin portion of the workpiece, a thickness of the thin portion being smaller than a thickness of the thick portion in an extending direction of the wire electrode; and a path compensator configured to compensate the machining path so as to form, in the thin portion over a predetermined distance, a protrusion projecting outward from the boundary line when the path determination unit determines that the linear path section is included.

A machining program editor that edits a machining program in which a machining path for a wire electrode of a wire electrical discharge machine is set, the machining program editor including: a path determination unit configured to determine whether or not the machining path includes a linear path section that crosses a boundary line between a thick portion of a workpiece and a thin portion of the workpiece, a thickness of the thin portion being smaller than a thickness of the thick portion in an extending direction of the wire electrode; and a path compensator configured to compensate the machining path so as to form, in the thin portion over a predetermined distance, a protrusion projecting outward from the boundary line when the path determination unit determines that the linear path section is included.

A controller for a wire electrical discharge machine that machines a workpiece along a machining path by relatively moving the workpiece and a wire electrode to each other while generating electric discharge across an electrode gap between the workpiece and the wire electrode, includes: a machining surface state acquisition unit configured to acquire the state of a machining surface of the workpiece; and a machining path setting unit configured to specify an excessively machined portion of the workpiece based on the acquired state of the machining surface and set an approach point at which the wire electrode is made to approach the machining surface from a machining start point, so as to avoid the excessively machined portion.

A controller for a wire electrical discharge machine that machines a workpiece along a machining path by relatively moving the workpiece and a wire electrode to each other while generating electric discharge across an electrode gap between the workpiece and the wire electrode, includes: a machining surface state acquisition unit configured to acquire the state of a machining surface of the workpiece; and a machining path setting unit configured to specify an excessively machined portion of the workpiece based on the acquired state of the machining surface and set an approach point at which the wire electrode is made to approach the machining surface from a machining start point, so as to avoid the excessively machined portion.

A guide unit that stretches a wire electrode and guides the wire electrode to a machinable range section where a workpiece is placed includes: a first wire guide and a second wire guide; a first support element disposed spaced apart between the first and second wire guides and disposed spaced apart from the first wire guide, which determines a passage location of the wire electrode; and a second support element disposed spaced apart from the second wire guide, which determines a passage location of the wire electrode. The first support element has a variable direction relative to the first wire guide, the machinable range section of the wire electrode is formed of a portion stretched between the first and second support elements, and the wire electrode can tilt with respect to the wire electrode supplied from the supply unit.

A guide unit that stretches a wire electrode and guides the wire electrode to a machinable range section where a workpiece is placed includes: a first wire guide and a second wire guide; a first support element disposed spaced apart between the first and second wire guides and disposed spaced apart from the first wire guide, which determines a passage location of the wire electrode; and a second support element disposed spaced apart from the second wire guide, which determines a passage location of the wire electrode. The first support element has a variable direction relative to the first wire guide, the machinable range section of the wire electrode is formed of a portion stretched between the first and second support elements, and the wire electrode can tilt with respect to the wire electrode supplied from the supply unit.