TWM679574U - Electrical discharge machining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrochemical machining (ECM) apparatus includes at least one platform and an integrated ECM unit. The integrated ECM unit is composed of multiple modularly designed ECM units, the number of which can be flexibly adjusted according to the target processing area or the required number of electrodes. Each modular ECM unit is equipped with at least one discharge electrode, enabling the integrated apparatus to simultaneously or sequentially perform ECM processes on single or multiple workpieces using multiple discharge electrodes. The multiple modular ECM units can share or each have components such as a power supply unit, upper head, lower head, conductive plate, and lead/reel, and can be equipped with insulation components and a slag removal unit to improve processing stability and slag removal efficiency. This invention provides a highly flexible, efficient, and high-quality ECM solution through modular integrated design.

Description

Electrochemical Discharge Machining Device

This invention relates to a processing apparatus, and more particularly to a discharge processing apparatus.

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a non-traditional machining technique that uses the high temperature generated by the periodic pulsed discharge between a tool electrode and the workpiece to etch away conductive materials. Wire EDM, in particular, uses a continuously moving metal wire (wire electrode) as the tool electrode to cut the workpiece along a predetermined path. It is widely used in mold making, precision parts machining, aerospace, and semiconductor wafer cutting, and has significant advantages, especially in machining high-hardness materials or complex contours.

However, traditional wire EDM (Electro-Discharge Machining) equipment typically uses only a single wire electrode for each machining process. When multiple cuts are required on a single workpiece, or when multiple workpieces need to be processed simultaneously, this single-wire machining mode necessitates sequential execution or the use of multiple devices, resulting in lengthy processing times and low overall production efficiency. Although there have been attempts to develop multi-wire EDM, existing multi-wire devices are often structurally fixed and lack flexibility, making it difficult to quickly adjust to different processing requirements (such as the number of cuts, spacing, or workpiece size). Furthermore, the efficiency of slag removal during EDM directly affects the stability and surface quality of the machining process, especially during multi-wire or high-speed cutting, where the slag removal problem is even more severe. Existing technologies often fail to provide a solution that can adapt to varying processing configurations while ensuring efficient slag removal. Therefore, how to develop an EDM device that has flexible configuration capabilities and can balance processing efficiency and slag removal efficiency has become an important issue that needs to be addressed in this field.

In view of this, one of the purposes of this invention is to provide a discharge processing apparatus to solve the problems of the aforementioned prior art.

To achieve the aforementioned objectives, this invention proposes an electrochemical machining (ECM) apparatus, primarily comprising at least one platform for supporting at least one workpiece, the workpiece having at least one processing target area; and an integrated ECM unit, the integrated ECM unit being primarily composed of at least one modular ECM unit having a predetermined number, wherein each modular ECM unit is equipped with at least one discharge electrode for performing at least one ECM process on the processing target area on the workpiece supported by the platform, thereby forming at least one processing groove on the processing target area, wherein the ECM apparatus adjusts the predetermined number of the modular ECM units accordingly based on the number of processing target areas for the ECM process, the number of processing grooves to be formed by the ECM process, and/or the number of discharge electrodes used in the ECM process.

The predetermined number of the modular discharge processing unit is multiple, and the multiple modular discharge processing units provide a discharge processing procedure corresponding to the predetermined number of discharge electrodes.

The plurality of discharge electrodes are electrically connected together to a power supply unit or are electrically connected separately to a plurality of power supply units, thereby performing the discharge processing procedure on the workpiece.

In this integrated discharge processing unit, the plurality of discharge electrodes are distributed parallel to each other along a first direction, and the discharge processing procedure is performed in a processing travel direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In this integrated discharge processing unit, the plurality of discharge electrodes have a plurality of discharge segments that overlap with the workpiece, and two adjacent discharge segments are separated from each other by at least one insulating component to achieve a substantially non-contact state.

Each of the plurality of modular discharge processing units includes an electrode guide assembly comprising a lead-out reel shared by the plurality of discharge electrodes, a plurality of branch reels having a plurality of limiting grooves, and a take-up reel shared by the plurality of discharge electrodes, wherein the plurality of limiting grooves are used to substantially separate the plurality of discharge electrodes and ensure that the plurality of discharge electrodes are transmitted at a target position.

Each of the plurality of modular discharge processing units has an electrode guide assembly that includes a lead-out reel and a take-up reel to substantially separate the plurality of discharge electrodes and ensure that the plurality of discharge electrodes are transmitted at a target location.

Each of the plurality of modular discharge processing units further includes a tension adjusting wheel or a plurality of tension adjusting wheels disposed between the lead-out wheel and the take-up wheel, wherein the discharge electrode or the plurality of discharge electrodes corresponds to the tension adjusting wheel or the plurality of tension adjusting wheels, thereby adjusting the tension of each of the discharge electrode or the plurality of discharge electrodes.

The integrated discharge processing unit effectively separates the plurality of discharge electrodes by means of the plurality of limiting grooves of the plurality of dividing wheels, and two adjacent discharge electrodes are separated from each other by at least one insulating component to achieve a state of actual non-contact.

When the plurality of discharge electrodes perform the discharge processing procedure on the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece, the plurality of discharge electrodes form a plurality of discharge segments of substantially the same or different sizes on the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece.

In the discharge processing procedure, all of the plurality of discharge electrodes discharge the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece, or only some of the plurality of discharge electrodes discharge the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece.

In the discharge processing procedure, the plurality of discharge electrodes apply the discharge energy to the workpiece with the same or different discharge energies.

The electrochemical discharge apparatus further includes one or more slag removal units for performing a slag removal process on the target area or multiple target areas in which the electrochemical discharge process is performed.

The plurality of slag removal units correspond one-to-one with the plurality of discharge electrodes, and are used to provide a plurality of external forces to the processing target area or the plurality of processing target areas respectively in the slag removal process.

The values of the plurality of external forces provided by the plurality of slag discharge units are either the same or different.

The slag discharge unit is selected from a group consisting of at least one water spray unit and at least one water suction unit, wherein the number of water spray units is one or more, each of which is paired with one or more water suction units, and the value of the thrust provided by the water spray unit and the value of the suction provided by the water suction unit are the same or different.

The slag removal unit is equipped with at least one guide structure to guide the external force provided by the slag removal unit to the processing target area of the workpiece where the electro-discharge process is being performed during the slag removal process.

The guiding structure moves synchronously with the feeding action of the discharge electrode or one of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

The guide structure is a sheet-like structure, and the thickness of the sheet-like structure is actually less than or equal to the width of the processing groove.

The plurality of discharge electrodes can either perform the discharge processing procedure on the same workpiece together, or perform the discharge processing procedure on the plurality of workpieces separately.

The plurality of discharge electrodes each correspond to at least one power supply unit, which may be the same or different, and each is controlled by at least one control unit, which may be the same or different, to perform the discharge processing procedure on the workpiece with at least one processing parameter, which may be the same or different.

In this process, two adjacent electrodes of a plurality of discharge electrodes sequentially perform the discharge processing procedure on the workpiece with a minimized time interval.

Among them, two adjacent discharge electrodes are separated by a distance, which is determined based on the thickness of at least one cut piece to be obtained by performing the discharge processing on the workpiece, at least one discharge gap of the plurality of discharge electrodes and/or at least one wire diameter of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

The modular discharge processing unit has a modular design, which allows multiple modular discharge processing units to be detachably combined into the integrated discharge processing unit.

As described above, the electro-discharge processing apparatus of this invention may have one or more of the following advantages:

(1) Modular design and high integration: Modular discharge processing units can be easily assembled or disassembled to form an integrated discharge processing unit. This design allows users to flexibly adjust the number of modular units according to actual needs.

(2) Highly customizable and adaptable: The configuration of modular units can be adjusted according to the number of processing target areas, the number of processing grooves to be formed, or the number of discharge electrodes required. It can meet the processing needs of one or more workpieces and supports processing using one or more discharge electrodes.

(3) Improved processing efficiency and flexibility: Multiple discharge electrodes can process workpieces simultaneously or sequentially, significantly increasing processing speed and productivity. Electrodes can share or each have its own power supply unit, control unit, upper head, lower head, conductor plate, lead/reel, etc., providing configuration flexibility. Different processing parameters can be set so that each electrode can perform the same or different processing tasks. The size of the discharge section can be set to be the same or different to meet diverse processing needs. Only some electrodes can be used for processing, increasing operational flexibility. The spacing between multiple electrodes can be equal or unequal to adapt to different cutting thicknesses or pattern requirements.

(4) Ensuring machining accuracy and stability: The limiting grooves on the dividing wheel effectively separate and guide multiple discharge electrodes. Insulation components can be used to further ensure insulation between adjacent electrodes, preventing interference and short circuits. Tension adjustment wheels and tension measurement units help maintain the tension stability of each electrode. Vibration measurement units can be used to monitor the stability of the electrodes.

(5) Enhanced slag removal effect and processing quality: Optional slag removal units (such as airflow, waterflow, ultrasonic, or magnetic forces) can be added to effectively remove slag generated during the electrochemical machining process. The slag removal unit can be equipped with a guide structure to precisely guide the slag removal force to the processing area, improving slag removal efficiency. The same or different slag removal forces can be applied to different electrodes or areas to improve the slag removal effect. Combining thrust and suction generating units can more effectively remove slag and improve processing quality.

To facilitate understanding of the technical features, content, advantages, and effects of this invention, the invention is described in detail below with accompanying drawings and examples. The drawings used are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and may not represent the actual proportions and precise configuration of the invention in practice. Therefore, the proportions and configurations of the accompanying drawings should not be interpreted or used to limit the scope of the invention in actual implementation. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, the same elements in the following examples are indicated by the same symbols.

Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the terms used throughout this specification and the scope of the patent application generally have their ordinary meaning in the context of this art, the disclosure herein, and the specific content. Certain terms used to describe the invention will be discussed below or elsewhere in this specification to provide additional guidance to those skilled in the art in describing the invention.

The use of terms such as "first," "second," and "third" in this article does not specifically refer to any order or sequence, nor is it intended to limit the work. It is merely used to distinguish components or operations described using the same technical terms.

Secondly, when the terms “contains,” “includes,” “has,” and “contains” are used in this article, they are all open-ended terms, meaning that they include but are not limited to.

Figure 1 is a front view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing apparatus of the present invention, wherein the two ends of the discharge electrode (the lead-out end and the take-up end) are respectively located on different lead-out reels and take-up reels. Figure 2 is a front view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing apparatus of the present invention, wherein the two ends of the discharge electrode (the lead-out end and the take-up end) are respectively located on the same lead-out reel (or take-up reel). Figure 3 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing apparatus of the present invention, wherein the number of discharge electrodes is one. Figure 4 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing apparatus of the present invention, wherein the number of discharge electrodes is multiple.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 and other illustrations, the electro-machining apparatus 10 of this invention mainly comprises at least one stage 20 and an integrated electro-machining unit 300. The stage 20 is used to support at least one workpiece 100 to be processed. The workpiece 100 is defined to have at least one processing target area 110. The integrated electro-machining unit 300 is used to perform electro-machining procedures on the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100. The stage 20 may be, for example, a fixed stage, or a movable, rotatable, or tiltable stage. The stage 20 of this invention may optionally have a support plate 21 (as exemplified in Figures 1 and 2), or this support plate may be optionally omitted. The platform 20 of this invention is not limited to a specific type; the aforementioned type of platform 20 is merely an example and is not intended to limit this invention. The integrated discharge processing unit 300 of this invention is mainly composed of at least one modular discharge processing unit 30 having a predetermined number. The predetermined number of modular discharge processing units 30 is not limited to one (as shown in FIG. 3) or a plurality of them (e.g., two or more, as shown in FIG. 4).

This invention can integrate multiple modular discharge processing units 30 into a single integrated discharge processing unit 30 using any known technical means. For example, the modular discharge processing unit 30 has a modular design, such as having combinable components that can be combined with each other, for example by various integration techniques such as snap-fit (e.g., having corresponding dovetail grooves and sliders, or positioning holes and fixing bolts, etc.), locking, magnetic attraction, or other assembly methods, so that multiple modular discharge processing units 30 can be detachably combined into an integrated discharge processing unit 30. This invention can selectively add a modular design to any discharge processing unit belonging to the prior art, making it the modular discharge processing unit 30 of this invention, and thereby integrating it into a single integrated discharge processing unit 300. The assembly elements are, for example, combinations of card blocks and slots, combinations of screw holes and screws, or magnetic elements that can attract each other. Since the structure of the above-mentioned assembly elements can be changed accordingly depending on the integration technology used, and those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains should understand from the disclosure of this invention how a plurality of modular EDM units 30 can be combined into an integrated EDM unit 300 by means of the above-mentioned assembly elements and integration technology, and since the structure of these assembly elements and their combination methods can adopt any known prior art, they will not be described in detail here.

In the integrated electro-machining unit 300, each modular electro-machining unit 30 is equipped with at least one discharge electrode 32 for performing at least one electro-machining procedure on the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 supported by the stage 20, thereby forming at least one processing groove 120 on the processing target area 110. The two sides A of the discharge electrode 32 of the electro-machining unit 30 extend along a second direction Y, such that the discharge section B of the discharge electrode 32 is parallel to the second direction Y, wherein the second direction Y is perpendicular to both the first direction X and the third direction Z. This invention is illustrated by the example of the processing travel direction F being parallel to the third direction Z. The discharge section B of the discharge electrode 32 and the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 move relative to each other in a reciprocating, cyclic, or continuous manner, for example, along the second direction Y shown in FIG1, to perform a discharge machining process on the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 along the processing travel direction F. The power supply unit 34 of the discharge machining unit 30 provides a first power source P1 to the discharge electrode 32 and the workpiece 100 during the discharge machining process, so as to apply discharge energy to the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 through the discharge section B of the discharge electrode 32.

One feature of this invention is that the EDM apparatus 10 integrates a predetermined number of modular EDM units 30 into a single integrated EDM unit 300. The predetermined number of the modular EDM units 30 is adjusted accordingly based on the number of target areas 110 to be processed, the number of processing grooves 120 to be formed by the EDM process, and/or the number of discharge electrodes 32 used in the EDM process. The plurality of discharge electrodes 32 are, for example, but not limited to, parallel to each other in the first direction X. Specifically, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 of the integrated EDM unit 300 are distributed parallel to each other along the first direction X and perform the EDM process in a processing travel direction F perpendicular to the first direction X.

The number of discharge electrodes 32 provided by the integrated discharge processing unit 300 corresponds to the predetermined number of the plurality of modular discharge processing units 30 described above. For example, assuming that each modular discharge processing unit 30 is equipped with one discharge electrode 32, the integrated discharge processing unit 300, which is formed by integrating the plurality of modular discharge processing units 30 described above, can simultaneously or separately provide the same predetermined number of discharge electrodes 32 as described above. The plurality of discharge electrodes 32 are discharged in parallel to each other in the first direction X. Similarly, assuming that each modular discharge processing unit 30 is equipped with two discharge electrodes 32, the integrated discharge processing unit 300 can provide more than (twice as many as) the predetermined number of discharge electrodes 32 simultaneously or not simultaneously, and so on.

The plurality of discharge electrodes 32 of this invention can selectively perform discharge processing on the same workpiece 100 together (as shown in Figure 4), or perform discharge processing on the plurality of workpieces 100 separately (as shown in Figures 5, 15 and 16). In addition, two adjacent discharge electrodes 32 selectively perform discharge processing on the workpiece 100 sequentially with a minimized time interval (as shown in Figure 11).

The plurality of discharge electrodes 32 of the integrated electro-machining unit 300 of this invention are electrically connected, for example, to a common power supply unit 34 or to a plurality of power supply units 34 respectively, so as to perform an electro-machining process on the workpiece 100. For example, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 each correspond to at least one power supply unit 34, which may be the same (as shown in FIG. 5) or different (as shown in FIG. 15), and each is controlled by at least one control unit 90, which may be the same (as shown in FIG. 5) or different (as shown in FIG. 15), to perform an electro-machining process on the workpiece 100 with at least one processing parameter, which may be the same or different, thereby, for example, maintaining the electro-machining process in the target processing state. Each discharge electrode 32 has a discharge section B overlapping the workpiece 100 for performing a discharge processing procedure on the workpiece 100. Therefore, a plurality of discharge electrodes 32 have a plurality of discharge sections B overlapping the workpiece 100, and two adjacent discharge sections B are separated from each other by at least one insulating member 56, thus achieving a substantially non-contact state (as shown in Figure 15). The types of processing parameters mentioned above include orientation parameters, discharge electrical parameters, debris removal parameters, and one or more of movement, tension, and vibration parameters. Discharge electrical parameters include, but are not limited to, discharge frequency and/or discharge energy. Furthermore, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 form a plurality of discharge segments B of substantially the same (as shown in FIG8) or different (as shown in FIG9) dimensions (e.g., length) on a plurality of processing target areas 110 of the workpiece 100. This invention is not limited to all of the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 discharging the plurality of processing target areas 110 of the workpiece 100 in the discharge processing procedure (as shown in FIG8), or only some of the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 discharging the plurality of processing target areas 110 of the workpiece 100 (as shown in FIG10). In other words, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 in this invention are not limited to performing discharge processing on the workpiece 100 simultaneously. For example, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 can perform discharge processing on the same or different processing target areas 110 of the workpiece 100 according to a sequential order, or in the discharge processing, only some of the discharge electrodes 32 are used and the rest are not used. As long as the integrated discharge processing unit 300 can perform discharge processing, it falls within the scope of protection of this invention. In addition, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 can also selectively perform discharge processing on the same or different processing target areas 110 of the workpiece 100 with the same or different discharge energies. For example, when two or more discharge electrodes 32 are used to process the same processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 in sequence, different processing parameters can be set for electrodes in different orders. In one embodiment, the discharge electrode 32 that is ordered first can use a larger discharge energy for roughing, while the discharge electrode 32 that is ordered later uses a smaller discharge energy for finishing. In this way, the present invention can complete the roughing and finishing processes in a single discharge machining process, thereby greatly improving the overall processing efficiency and the surface quality of the workpiece 100.

In the integrated discharge processing unit 300, the two sides A of the discharge electrode 32 of each modular discharge processing unit 30 are respectively connected across or wrapped around the wire guide assembly 400, so that the discharge section B of the discharge electrode 32 is in a suspended state. The two ends (the output end and the take-up end) of the discharge electrode 32 can be selectively located on different output reels 36 and take-up reels 36', as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the two ends (the output end and the take-up end) of the discharge electrode 32 can also be selectively located on the same output reel 36 (take-up reel 36'), as shown in Figure 2. Each modular discharge processing unit 30 includes an electrode guiding assembly 400 comprising a lead-out reel 36, a plurality of branching reels 37, and a take-up reel 36' for conveying and guiding the discharge electrodes 32. Optionally, it may also include head components, such as an upper head 31 and a lower head 31', for guiding the discharge electrodes 32. The plurality of modular discharge processing units 30 may share the lead-out reel 36 and/or the take-up reel 36' (as shown in Figure 6), or each modular discharge processing unit 30 may have its own corresponding lead-out reel 36 and take-up reel 36' (as shown in Figure 5). Each of the lead-out reel 36, take-up reel 36', and branching reels 37 includes, for example, an assembled or integrally formed support component 40 and a retaining component 50. The supporting component 40 is, for example, a wheel, and the retaining component 50 is, for example, the shaft of this wheel. The retaining component 50 is not limited to a fixed or movable type; it can be used in this invention as long as it can be used to transport or guide the discharge electrode 32. For example, the lead-out reel 36 and/or the take-up reel 36' can be selectively connected to different rotating mechanisms (e.g., motors) to rotate the retaining components 50 of the lead-out reel 36 and/or the take-up reel 36', thereby driving the lead-out reel 36 and/or the take-up reel 36' to rotate. The retaining components 50 of the plurality of branch reels 37 are, for example, freely rotatable at any height and position for transporting and guiding the discharge electrode 32. The carrier component 40 and the retaining component 50 of this invention can also be used as combination elements (as shown in Figure 4) to enable a predetermined number of modular discharge processing units 30 to be connected to each other to form the required integrated discharge processing unit 300.

Each of the plurality of dividing wheels 37 has at least one limiting groove 42, for example, provided on the surface of the supporting component 40, wherein the discharge electrode 32 is limited in the limiting groove 42. The discharge electrodes 32 in different limiting grooves 42 can be electrically independent, or they can be electrically connected to each other, for example, through a conductive plate 43. The plurality of discharge electrodes 32 can, for example, share a single conductive plate 43 (as shown in FIG. 5), or each have a corresponding conductive plate 43 (as shown in FIG. 4). This invention can substantially separate the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 by means of the plurality of limiting grooves 42 and can ensure the transmission of the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 at the target location (e.g., the machining groove 120 or other locations). Similarly, a plurality of modular discharge processing units 30 may selectively share an upper machine head 31 and/or a lower machine head 31', such that a plurality of discharge electrodes 32 share an upper machine head 31 and/or a lower machine head 31' (as shown in Figure 5), or a plurality of modular discharge processing units 30 may each have an upper machine head 31 and/or a lower machine head 31' (as shown in Figure 4), such that a plurality of discharge electrodes 32 each correspond to an upper machine head 31 and/or a lower machine head 31'.

Each modular discharge processing unit 30's electrode guide assembly 400 selectively includes one or more tension adjusting wheels 37' disposed between the lead-out wheel 36 and the take-up wheel 36', wherein each discharge electrode 32 corresponds to one tension adjusting wheel 37' or shares one tension adjusting wheel 37', thereby adjusting the tension of each discharge electrode 32. In this invention, the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 can also be substantially separated by the plurality of limiting grooves 42 of the plurality of dividing wheels 37, and further, the insulating components 56 can be used to separate two adjacent discharge electrodes 32 from each other, so as to achieve a substantially non-contact state (as shown in Figure 7). Furthermore, the electrochemical processing apparatus 10 of this invention may optionally include a tension measuring unit 38, such as a tension meter, for measuring the tension value of the discharge electrode 32. Alternatively, the electrochemical processing apparatus 10 may further optionally include a vibration measuring unit 39 for measuring the vibration value of the discharge electrode 32.

As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the modular EDM unit 30 selectively includes one or more slag removal units 64 for performing a slag removal process on one or more processing target areas 110 during the EDM process, thereby removing, for example, the residue generated by the discharge electrodes 32 applying discharge energy to the workpiece 100. For example, the plurality of slag removal units 64 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of discharge electrodes 32, providing a plurality of external forces F2 to one or more processing target areas 110 during the slag removal process. The slag removal unit 64 may be, for example, an airflow generator, a waterflow generator, an ultrasonic generator, a piezoelectric oscillator, or a magnetic force generating element. The external force F2 can be, for example, airflow, waterflow, ultrasonic vibration, piezoelectric vibration, suction, or magnetic force. The values of the plurality of external forces F2 mentioned above may be the same or different. For example, the slag discharge unit 64 is selected from a group consisting of at least one thrust generating unit 64a (such as a water spraying unit) and at least one suction generating unit 64b (such as a water suction unit) (as shown in Figure 12), wherein there is one or more thrust generating units 64a, each paired with one or more suction generating units 64b, and the value of the thrust F21 provided by the thrust generating unit 64a and the value of the suction F22 provided by the suction generating unit 64b may be the same or different. The direction or position of the external force F generated by the slag removal unit 64 is manually or automatically adjustable to correspond to the position of the electro-machining process being performed on the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 (e.g., processing groove 120). The thrust generating device 64a and the suction generating device 64b can respectively push and suction the slag generated during the electro-machining process, thus effectively improving the slag removal effect. The modular EDM unit 30 of this invention selectively includes at least one guide structure 66 (as shown in Figure 13) to guide the external force F2 provided by the slag removal unit 64 to the location of the EDM process being performed on the processing target area 110 of the workpiece 100 (e.g., processing the groove 120) during the slag removal process, thereby providing an auxiliary slag removal effect. The guide structure 66 moves synchronously with the feed action of one or more discharge electrodes 32. For example, the guide structure 66 is a sheet structure, such as copper foil or silicon steel sheet, but not limited to the above examples. The guide structure 66 may also contain or be composed of any suitable material. The thickness of the guide structure 66 is substantially less than or equal to the width of the processed groove 120.

The workpiece 100 described above can be any conductive or semiconductor material, such as an ingot or wafer, or even any material suitable for electro-discharge machining, and its shape can be, for example, a cylindrical or sheet-like object. Taking semiconductor materials as an example, the workpiece 100 may be composed of semiconductor materials selected from the group consisting of silicon, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide. For example, if the workpiece 100 is defined with a plurality of processing target regions 110, these processing target regions 110 are selectively located at any suitable processing location within the workpiece 100. The spacing between these processing target areas 110 correspondingly defines (for example, the same as) the cutting thickness, thinning thickness, or cutting spacing of the workpiece 100, and its values are adjusted according to actual process requirements, and are therefore not limited to being equal or unequal to each other. Two adjacent discharge electrodes 32 are separated by a distance, and this distance is determined based on the thickness of at least one cut piece to be obtained by the discharge processing procedure of the workpiece 100, at least one discharge gap of the plurality of discharge electrodes 32, and/or at least one wire diameter of the plurality of discharge electrodes 32. Furthermore, the values of the plurality of spacings among the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 are not limited to being equal or unequal to each other. For example, the plurality of spacings are the front-to-back spacing D1 and/or the left-to-right spacing D2 among the plurality of discharge electrodes 32 (as shown in Figure 11).

In summary, the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, through modular design, can integrate a predetermined number of modular electro-machining units into a single integrated electro-machining unit. Furthermore, the predetermined number of the aforementioned modular electro-machining units can be adjusted accordingly based on the number of target areas in the electro-machining process, the number of processing grooves to be formed in the electro-machining process, and/or the number of discharge electrodes used in the electro-machining process.

The electroprocessing device of this invention has the following technical advantages and effects:

(1) Modular design and high integration: Modular discharge processing units can be easily assembled or disassembled to form an integrated discharge processing unit. This design allows users to flexibly adjust the number of modular units according to actual needs.

(2) Highly customizable and adaptable: The configuration of modular units can be adjusted according to the number of processing target areas, the number of processing grooves to be formed, or the number of discharge electrodes required. It can meet the processing needs of one or more workpieces and supports processing using one or more discharge electrodes.

(3) Improved processing efficiency and flexibility: Multiple discharge electrodes can process workpieces simultaneously or sequentially, significantly increasing processing speed and productivity. Electrodes can share or each have its own power supply unit, control unit, upper head, lower head, conductor plate, lead/reel, etc., providing configuration flexibility. Different processing parameters can be set so that each electrode can perform the same or different processing tasks. The size of the discharge section can be set to be the same or different to meet diverse processing needs. Only some electrodes can be used for processing, increasing operational flexibility. The spacing between multiple electrodes can be equal or unequal to adapt to different cutting thicknesses or pattern requirements.

(4) Ensuring machining accuracy and stability: The limiting grooves on the dividing wheel effectively separate and guide multiple discharge electrodes. Insulation components can be used to further ensure insulation between adjacent electrodes, preventing interference and short circuits. Tension adjustment wheels and tension measurement units help maintain the tension stability of each electrode. Vibration measurement units can be used to monitor the stability of the electrodes.

(5) Enhanced slag removal effect and processing quality: Optional slag removal units (such as airflow, waterflow, ultrasonic, or magnetic forces) can be added to effectively remove slag generated during the electrochemical machining process. The slag removal unit can be equipped with a guide structure to precisely guide the slag removal force to the processing area, improving slag removal efficiency. The same or different slag removal forces can be applied to different electrodes or areas to improve the slag removal effect. Combining thrust and suction generating units can more effectively remove slag and improve processing quality.

The above description is illustrative and not restrictive. Any equivalent modifications or alterations made to this work without departing from its spirit and scope shall be included in the scope of the appended patent application.

10: EDM device; 20: Platform; 21: Support plate; 30: Modular EDM unit; 31: Upper head; 31’: Lower head; 32: Discharge electrode; 34: Power supply unit; 36: Lead reel; 36’: Take-up reel; 37: Divider reel; 37’: Tension adjustment reel; 38: Tension measurement unit; 39: Vibration measurement unit; 40: Supporting component; 42: Limiting groove; 43: Conductive plate; 50: Holding component; 56: Insulation component; 64: Slag removal unit; 64a: Thrust generation. Unit 64b: Suction Generating Unit 66: Guiding Structure 90: Control Unit 100: Workpiece 110: Target Area 120: Machining Groove 300: Integrated EDM Unit 400: Electrode Guiding Assembly A: Both Sides of the Discharge Electrode B: Discharge Section D1: Front-to-Back Spacing D2: Left-to-Right Spacing F: Machining Direction F2: External Force F21: Thrust F22: Suction P1: First Power Source X: First Direction Y: Second Direction Z: Third Direction

Figure 1 is a front view schematic diagram of the discharge processing device of this invention, wherein the lead-out end and take-up end of the discharge electrode are located on different lead-out reels and take-up reels respectively.

Figure 2 is a front view schematic diagram of the discharge processing device of this invention, wherein the lead-out end and take-up end of the discharge electrode are respectively located on the same lead-out reel or take-up reel.

Figure 3 is a top view schematic diagram of the discharge processing device of this invention, wherein the number of discharge electrodes is one.

Figure 4 is a top view schematic diagram of the discharge processing device of this invention, wherein the number of discharge electrodes is multiple.

Figure 5 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing device of this invention, in which multiple modular electro-discharge processing units share the same component (power supply unit, upper head, lower head and conductive plate).

Figure 6 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing apparatus of this invention, in which multiple modular electro-discharge processing units share the same component (leading reel and/or take-up reel).

Figure 7 is a top view schematic diagram of the discharge processing device of this invention, in which multiple discharge electrodes are spaced apart by insulating components to achieve a state of actual non-contact.

Figure 8 is a side view of the discharge processing apparatus of this invention, wherein the multiple discharge sections of the multiple discharge electrodes are substantially the same in size.

Figure 9 is a side view of the discharge processing apparatus of this invention, wherein the dimensions of the plurality of discharge sections of the plurality of discharge electrodes are substantially different.

Figure 10 is a side view of the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, in which only some of the discharge electrodes simultaneously perform electro-machining on the workpiece.

Figure 11 is a side view of the discharge processing apparatus of this invention, wherein the spacing between the plurality of discharge electrodes is equal or unequal.

Figure 12 is a side view of the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, wherein the modular electro-machining unit has a slag removal unit.

Figure 13 is a side view of the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, wherein the slag removal unit of the modular electro-machining unit is equipped with a guide structure.

Figure 14 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-discharge processing device of this invention, wherein the external forces applied by the slag removal unit of the modular electro-discharge processing unit are the same or different from each other.

Figure 15 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, in which a plurality of discharge electrodes jointly perform an electro-machining process on a plurality of workpieces.

Figure 16 is a top view schematic diagram of the electro-machining apparatus of this invention, in which multiple discharge electrodes perform electro-machining procedures on their respective workpieces.

10: Electrochemical Discharge Machining Device

20: Platform

21: Load-bearing plate

30: Modular Electrical Discharge Machining Unit

31: Upper part of the machine head

31’: Lowering the machine head

32: Discharge electrode

34: Power Supply Unit

36: Rope feeder

36’: Take-up reel

37: Split Reel

37’: Tension Adjustment Wheel

38: Strength Measurement Unit

39: Vibration Measurement Unit

40: Load-bearing components

42: Limiting groove

43: Conductive plate

50: Holding Components

90: Control Unit

100: Work to be processed

110: Processing Target Area

120: Processing ditches

300: Integrated Electrochemical Processing Unit

400: Electrode Guide Assembly

A: Both sides of the discharge electrode

B: Discharge section

F: Processing direction

P1: First Power Source

X: First direction

Y: Second direction

Z: Third-party direction

Claims (24)

An electrochemical machining (ECM) apparatus mainly comprises: at least one platform for supporting at least one workpiece, the workpiece having at least one processing target area; and an integrated ECM unit, the integrated ECM unit mainly composed of at least one modular ECM unit having a predetermined number, wherein the modular ECM unit is equipped with at least one discharge electrode for performing at least one ECM process on the processing target area on the workpiece supported by the platform, thereby forming at least one processing groove on the processing target area, wherein the ECM apparatus adjusts the predetermined number of the modular ECM units accordingly based on the number of processing target areas for the ECM process, the number of processing grooves to be formed by the ECM process, and/or the number of discharge electrodes used by the ECM process. The electro-discharge processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of the modular electro-discharge processing units is a plurality of units, wherein the plurality of modular electro-discharge processing units provide a plurality of discharge electrodes corresponding to the predetermined number for performing the electro-discharge processing procedure. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of the discharge electrodes are electrically connected together to a power supply unit or are electrically connected separately to the plurality of the power supply units, thereby performing the electro-machining process on the workpiece. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge electrodes of the integrated electro-machining unit are distributed parallel to each other along a first direction, and the electro-machining process is performed in a processing travel direction perpendicular to the first direction. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge electrodes of the integrated electro-machining unit have a plurality of discharge segments overlapping the workpiece, and two adjacent discharge segments are separated from each other by a distance by at least one insulating component to achieve a substantially non-contact state. The electro-discharge processing apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of modular electro-discharge processing units includes an output reel shared by the plurality of discharge electrodes, a plurality of branch reels having a plurality of limiting grooves, and a take-up reel shared by the plurality of discharge electrodes, wherein the plurality of limiting grooves are used to substantially separate the plurality of discharge electrodes and ensure that the plurality of discharge electrodes are transmitted at a target position. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of modular electrochemical processing units has an electrode guide assembly comprising a lead-out reel and a take-up reel to substantially separate the plurality of discharge electrodes and ensure transmission of the plurality of discharge electrodes at a target location. As described in claim 6 or 7, in the electro-discharge apparatus, the electrode guide assembly of each of the plurality of modular electro-discharge units further includes a tension adjusting wheel or a plurality of the tension adjusting wheels disposed between the lead-out wheel and the take-up wheel, wherein the discharge electrode or the plurality of the discharge electrodes corresponds to the tension adjusting wheel or the plurality of the tension adjusting wheels, thereby adjusting the tension of each of the discharge electrode or the plurality of the discharge electrodes. The electro-discharge processing apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein the integrated electro-discharge processing unit substantially separates the plurality of discharge electrodes by means of the plurality of limiting grooves of the plurality of dividing wheels, and two adjacent discharge electrodes are separated from each other by a distance by at least one insulating component to achieve a substantially non-contact state. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein when the plurality of discharge electrodes perform the electro-machining process on the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece, the plurality of discharge electrodes form a plurality of discharge segments of substantially the same or different sizes on the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein all of the plurality of discharge electrodes discharge the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece during the electrochemical processing procedure, or only some of the plurality of discharge electrodes discharge the plurality of processing target areas of the workpiece. The electrochemical machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge electrodes perform the electrochemical machining process on the workpiece with the same or different discharge energies. The electrochemical discharge apparatus as described in claim 2 further includes a slag removal unit or a plurality of such slag removal units for performing a slag removal process on the target area or a plurality of such target areas in which the electrochemical discharge process is performed. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the plurality of slag removal units correspond one-to-one with the plurality of discharge electrodes, for providing a plurality of external forces to the processing target area or the plurality of processing target areas respectively in the slag removal process. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein the values of the plurality of external forces provided by the plurality of slag removal units are the same or different. As described in claim 15, the slag removal unit is selected from a group consisting of at least one water spray unit and at least one water suction unit, wherein the number of water spray units is one or more, each paired with one or more water suction units, and the value of a thrust provided by the water spray unit and the value of a suction provided by the water suction unit are the same or different. The electro-discharge apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the slag removal unit is equipped with at least one guide structure for guiding an external force provided by the slag removal unit to a position on the workpiece where the electro-discharge process is being performed during the slag removal process. The discharge processing apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein the guide structure moves synchronously with the feed action of the discharge electrode or one of the plurality of discharge electrodes. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein the guiding structure is a sheet-like structure and the thickness of the sheet-like structure is substantially less than or equal to the width of the processing groove. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge electrodes jointly perform the electro-machining process on the same workpiece, or separately perform the electro-machining process on the plurality of workpieces. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge electrodes each correspond to at least one power supply unit of the same or different nature and each is controlled by at least one control unit of the same or different nature to perform the electro-machining process on the workpiece with at least one processing parameter of the same or different nature. The electrochemical processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein two adjacent electrodes of a plurality of the discharge electrodes sequentially perform the electrochemical processing procedure on the workpiece at a minimized time interval. The electro-machining apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein two adjacent plurality of the discharge electrodes are spaced apart by a distance determined based on the thickness of at least one cut piece to be obtained by performing the electro-machining process on the workpiece, at least one discharge gap of the plurality of discharge electrodes, and/or at least one wire diameter of the plurality of discharge electrodes. The electro-discharge processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the modular electro-discharge processing unit has a modular design so that a plurality of the modular electro-discharge processing units can be detachably combined into the integrated electro-discharge processing unit.