Apparatus and method for generating an electric discharge for use in the line cutting of a workpiece

• Main Authors: LI HSI-PIN, LEE HSIANG KUO, DAY YEA-JUNE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.01.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SUCH WORKING COMBINED WITH OTHER FORMS OF WORKING OF METAL; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF METAL BY THE ACTION OF A HIGH CONCENTRATION OFELECTRIC CURRENT ON A WORKPIECE USING AN ELECTRODE WHICH TAKESTHE PLACE OF A TOOL

An apparatus and method is provided for generating an electric discharge in an alternating direction on a workpiece for line cutting of the workpiece. In particular, the apparatus and method allows the benefits of preventing the workpiece from being cut apart due to excessive power and also preventing electrolysis that can degrade the surface quality of the workpiece. The apparatus includes a negative ignition voltage source, a positive ignition voltages source, a discharging voltage source, and a pulse generator, which are constructed on an all-transistor architecture. Prior to the application of each, electric discharge, low voltages are used to detect the current discharging condition at the discharge gap between the electrode and the workpiece to thereby determine whether the current discharging conditions are normal, arc, or open-circuited, these being then used for adjustment of the power level of the discharging voltage in order to apply thereby the electric discharge onto the workpiece in an alternating direction.