Electric discharge machining (EDM) machines are commonly used for the processing of forming molds. The principle is that instantaneous high voltage causes corrosion of the workpiece, repeating this process to form an electrode pattern on the surface of the workpiece. When using EDM machines, especially for stable spark machines, there are several important points to pay attention to, which I will discuss today.

Have you ever experienced this? After using an EDM machine for a period of time, the discharge becomes unstable, but the parameters remain unchanged, resulting only in unstable discharge. In this case, the first step is to conduct a check. One should systematically eliminate the causes of unstable discharge in the spark machine. After all checks, if the cause of the unstable discharge is still not found, I would like to remind you that it might be an issue with the spark oil. Taking spark oil for the spark machine as an example, during the pulse discharge process, the insulating properties of the spark oil play a role in preventing ionization and help accelerate cooling during the machining process of the electrode and workpiece. When drilling, if the oil extraction pressure is too high, it can make it difficult to form the discharge channel, leading to partial discharge, which is particularly noticeable. If the oil direction is incorrect, chips can accumulate, causing unstable discharge and easily forming carbon deposits, with oil being directed towards the opening and dripping down.

Although flushing and oil pressure treatment can effectively remove machining chips and improve discharge stability, uneven flow can lead to concentrated discharge and secondary discharge. The flatness and roughness of the workpiece also have a significant impact, resulting in uneven discharge gaps. This process can cause intense flushing, leading to abnormal wear on the edges of the electrode, so precision machining generally employs liquid treatment methods such as no flushing or oil immersion, relying on the spark machine's action to remove chips and achieve stable processing. The spindle of the machine tool generates a suction effect during high-speed feeding, effectively removing chips, tar, and exhaust gases between the electrode and the workpiece.