Manufacturing Industry News

Advances in EDMs are also enabling more productive moldmaking. For example, advanced features for die sinker EDMs for both the entry-level FORM E die sinker and high-precision, high-end FORM P series from GF Machining Solutions, Lincolnshire, Illinois, are increasing speed, reducing electrode wear and improving productivity.

GF Machining's iGAP generator sensor technology helps moldmakers achieve a smaller, and therefore more precise, spark gap at higher speed with a die sinking EDM. (Provided by GF Machining Solutions)

Eric Ostini, product manager, EDM, explained that the iGAP generator sensor technology that has been added to the FORM E series EDM helps moldmakers use die-sinking EDMs to achieve a smaller, and therefore more precise, spark gap at higher speed. The iGAP varies the spark power from the front and sides of the electrodes as needed. Spark power increases only when necessary, helping preserve electrodes.

Ostini explained how the iGAP sensor works: “We are now able to sense on the electrode whether we're doing a frontal spark or a lateral spark. Frontal means the direction we're burning in and lateral means the sides of the electrode that are causing the cavities. We are able to sense where the spark is occurring and literally turn off any lateral spark that occurs. We can't get them all, but most of them,” Ostini said.

“We can burn quicker and keep the gap tighter between the electrode and the cavity, reducing the amount of removal laterally that we have to do to open up the cavity to size,” he continued. “We can have an electrode that is almost the same size as the cavity we want to produce, maybe two thousandths undersize per side, and burn straight down into the cavity with just frontal sparking and then do very little orbiting to bring it finally into size. This reduces time, increases cutting speed, and cleans up the cavity—the cavity is so close to final size that we don't have any offset issues.”

To maximize electrode utilization in the FORM P series, GF Solutions offers a Smart Tool. “For an electrode that is being used as a rougher, there is a sister tool in the rotary tool changer or other automation that will replace the rougher, if needed, due to wear. The semifinisher becomes the rougher and by staggering the use of the tools, the number of tools that are needed to do a series of mold cavities is reduced,” said Ostini.

Source:https://advancedmanufacturing.org/new-technology-powers-performance-at-u-s-mold-shops/