Page 10 - Fall 2023 EDM Today

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Feature Article

UNVEILING THE

PROCESS CONTROL IN EDM

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By Marco Boccadoro

Marco Boccadoro

Marco Boccadoro has devoted his entire professional career to EDM and was honored
as an EDM Today EDM Pioneer. (Spring, 2013 available under the Archives tab at
edmtodaymagazine.com) Mr. Boccadoro has authored or co-authored 14 patents
covering EDM machines, power supplies, and control systems.

Recently retired from his position as GF Machining Solutions’ Head of Research and
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Innovation, his responsibilities included managing research projects with a network of
universities worldwide and carrying out internal research and feasibility projects.
His favorite defi nition of innovation is: “Innovation is creativity with a job to do.”

[Editor’s Note: For most users of EDM, the magic that happens to allow material to be removed is a bit of a mystery.
OEM builders make the control aspects transparent to the users. In this feature, EDM Today feature editor Marco
Boccadoro gives us a fascinating look under the hood at the complexity and sophistication of modern EDM process
control. It also gives us a peek into the future as OEMs look to AI to continue to improve EDM performance.]

INTRODUCTION THE BASICS
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Fig. 1 illustrates
The electrical discharge
the basics of MRR
machining process takes place
in an unstable state between
rate) and wear in
die sinking EDM [1],
open circuit and welding.
where COMP is the
An incredible amount of
servo set point. One
computing power on the
value for optimum
computing and controlling
of MRR (V) does not
plane must keep the process sees that the COMP
match the COMP
value for the lowest
in balance between these two
EDM Today Magazine So, either one Fig. 1: Machining results as a function of the servo set point
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wear (ϑ).
extremes (see Fig. 2). All this
takes place while the machine
works with the
quietly executes its erosion task.
lowest possible
The following describes what
wear (COMP=20) or with the highest MRR (COMP=43). It is like the French say,
“Wanting the butter and the money for the butter;” expressing an unreasonable
we do not see about the EDM
or unrealistic desire to have it all, or to have it both ways in a situation that
process, which is the process
normally requires a choice between two mutually exclusive options.
control that is taking place
But, what is the servo set point?
behind the scene.
A few words about the gap width control, called servo control in EDM jargon,
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are needed.
EDM Today, Fall 2023 Issue
8