Drilling tool and method of machining a conductive work piece

• Main Authors: Luo Yuanfeng, Hoskin Robert Frank, Moricca Timothy Michael, Trimmer Andrew Lee, Nieters Edward James, McNamara Jeremy Gordon
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.03.2018
• Subjects: GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SUCH WORKING COMBINED WITH OTHER FORMS OF WORKING OF METAL; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; 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

A drilling tool for use in machining a conductive work piece is provided. The tool includes a body portion, a forward electrode coupled to the body portion, and at least one side electrode coupled to the body portion. When electric current is supplied to the forward electrode and the at least one side electrode, material adjacent to the forward electrode and the at least one side electrode is removed from the conductive work piece. Further, the forward electrode and the at least one side electrode are selectively operable to form a bore hole having a variable geometry that extends through the conductive work piece when the material is removed therefrom.