Page 44 - EDM Today Spring 2025

EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
SPRING 2025
Key Capabilities
NEW
1. Periodic Surface Measurement
• Employs non-contact “Feedback” sensors to sample the evolving workpiece geometry and surface profi le
TECHNOLOGYHNOLOGY
TEC
at fi xed intervals.
• Translates raw sensor data into industry-standard VDI surface class estimates, enabling direct comparison
to the user’s target.
2. Adaptive Parameter Tuning
EXERON INTRODUCES EXO-TECHNOLOGY
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
• Utilizes closed-loop control algorithms to tweak spark energy and downtimes for real-time optimized
THE NEXT GENERATION IN EDM PERFORMANCE
gap control.
• Automatically calculates the optimum parameters and correction offsets between roughing, semi-fi nishing, and
fi nishing operations with basic data input, ensuring optimal material removal rates and surface integrity.
Revolutionizing EDM with Exoguide and Exogen:
A Deep Dive into Exeron’s Exo-Technology
3. User-Friendly Interface and Data Logging
As manufacturing pushes the limits of precision,
effi ciency, and adaptability, electrical discharge
actual vs. target surface class.
machining (EDM) remains indispensable for creating
complex geometries and ultra-fi ne surface fi nishes in • Provides a dashboard showing live comparisons of
• Records complete time stamped parameter
hard, exotic materials. Yet despite its strengths,
histories, enabling post process analysis, traceability,
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
EDM’s reputation for requiring seasoned experts—
and continuous refi nement of control strategies.
and its susceptibility to process variability—have
4. Skill Democratization
long constrained throughput and accessibility.
With Exeron’s advanced Exogen generators and their
• New operators select the desired fi nish (e.g., VDI 24)
latest Exo-Technology modules, you can tackle these
and launch the job. Exoguide’s embedded expertise
challenges head-on, transforming EDM from a
is engaged to help meet the desired outcome.
specialist’s craft into an accessible, data-driven process.
• Veteran specialists can refi ne or override settings,
The State of Modern EDM:
machine-learning pipeline.
Opportunities and Obstacles Exeron 316 CNC EDM feeding their insights into the module’s ongoing Technology Editor Screen – Part of Advanced HMI
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
Precision demands
TECHNICAL UNDERPINNINGS
Industries such as aerospace, medical devices, and micro injection molding routinely demand surface fi nishes in the
VDI 16–24 range or fi ner, with tolerances measured in microns. EDM excels here, but only when spark energy, pulse
• Machine Learning Enhanced Models
duration, and gap control are meticulously balanced.
Exoguide leverages regression models trained on millions of EDM cycles, correlating input parameters with fi nish
outcomes across a range of electrode materials (copper, graphite, copper tungsten) and workpiece alloys.
Skill bottlenecks
Traditional die sinking EDM relies on decades of “tribal knowledge.” Operators select static parameter sets at job
• Control Theory Integration
start, then monitor progress manually. Any real-time problems—due to electrode wear, dielectric contamination, or
Advanced Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and model predictive control (MPC) schemes ensure stability,
material inhomogeneities—can force rework or scrap.
Throughput limitations
• Scalable Architecture
Without in-process feedback, shops must build in safety margins: longer cycle avoiding overshooting key metrics like surface roughness (Ra) and dimensional tolerance.
Packaged as a “plug-and-play” software module, Exoguide expands the Exogen Generator and is architected to
times, conservative spark settings, and repeated fi nishing passes, which slows support future expansions (e.g., Complete Pulse manipulation, wear rate calculation, etc.) without hardware
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
overall production and infl ates costs.
overhaul.
Exeron’s response: modularize and automate the two core “black boxes” of
Exogen: A Next Generation Power Generator
EDM—process control and power generation—into software upgradeable
building blocks that continually learn, adapt, and integrate.
While Exoguide masters the “brains” of the process, Exogen redefi nes its “heart”—the adaptive pulse generator that
drives spark formation.
Exoguide: More than AI, It is Intelligent Closed-Loop Process Control
At its core, Exoguide is a real-time monitoring and control module that
1. Fully Encapsulated, Compact Design
continuously measures surface fi nish metrics and dynamically adjusts EDM
parameters to achieve and maintain a specifi ed target. The result is superior Superior Surface Finish with FUNDAMENTAL INNOVATIONS (Continued on next page)
• The entire power electronics stack resides within a sealed, dust and moisture-proof housing. External
surface fi nishing with reduced electrode wear.
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today, Spring 2025 Issue EDM Today, Spring 2025 Issue 43
EDM Today Magazine
contamination risks—long a foe of generator reliability—are virtually eliminated.
Low Electrode Wear
42