Page 41 - EDM Today Winter 2025

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Automation Hardware

From an EDM perspective, robot automation can be used differently between servicing Wire EDM, EDM drilling, and
Sinker EDM. Wire EDM and EDM drilling most commonly utilize automation to replace and swap-out the workpiece.
With Sinker EDM, automation commonly sees the robots tasked with exchanging both the workpiece and electrode
pallets, but automation could be limited to exchanging just the electrode pallets, which makes the robot a glorifi ed
LARGE tool changer.
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Air chucks and work holding pallets are the most common style of tooling used with automation, such as EROWA
ITS or System 3R macro tooling. This tooling confi guration allows for greater versatility and easily supports different
size parts to be processed (low production volume/high mix application). With this type of tooling, the workpiece and
work holding fi xture are moved and exchanged together by the robot, as the system relies on the repeatability of the
tooling chuck (which is +/-2- microns) for accurate placement of the work holding fi xture into the machine. Another
key attribute of the tooling system design is the ability for the robot to have a common “gripping” interface for the
robot to pick-up and move the workpiece pallet.

Higher volume production applications see less variations in workpiece size (high production volume/low mix
application) and may introduce the direct loading of the workpiece into the machine fi xture. This means that the
robot is moving only the workpiece in and out of the machine, and that the work holding fi xture remains stationary
within the machine. This approach requires the robot to have a custom designed gripper that supports picking up
the workpiece in both its raw and fi nished machined state and will also expose the process to the +/- repeatability
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of the in-machine fi xture.
There are several unique styles of robots to choose from, and the selection process is primarily guided by the
automation requirements and workpiece capacity needs.

Standard Robot Automation Units

Single Sided Robots (See Figure 4)
These units are designed to service only (x1) machine
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Design is typically a small to medium sized cabinet style unit

Offer lower overall capability, but have a lower price point
A cell controller is not needed for this type of system

Dual Sided Robots (See Figure 5)
These units are designed to service (x2) machines
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Design is typically a medium sized cabinet with fl exible
part storage
Offer greater capabilities and capacity than single sided units,
but come with a higher price point

The use of a cell control is common, but not a requirement

Figure 5
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EDM Today, Winter 2025 Issue