Electric discharge machining (EDM), sometimes colloquially also referred to as spark machining, spark eroding, burning or die sinking, is a manufacturing process whereby a wanted shape of an object, called workpiece, is obtained using electrical discharges(sparks). The material removal from the workpiece occurs by a series of rapidly recurring current discharges between two electrodes, separated by a dielectric liquid and subject to an electric voltage. One of the electrodes is called tool-electrode whereas the other is called workpiece-electrode. When the distance between the two electrodes is reduced, the intensity of the electric field in the volume between the electrodes is expected to become larger than the strength of the dielectric and therefore the dielectric breaks allowing some current to flow between the two electrodes. A collateral effect of this passage of current is that material is removed from both the electrodes. Once the current flow stops (or it is stopped - depending on the type of generator), new liquid dielectric should be conveyed into the inter-electrode volume enabling the removed electrode material solid particles (debris) to be carried away and the insulating proprieties of the dielectric to be restored.

Contact:

IMTEK

University Freiburg, Institute of Microsystem Technology, IMTEK
Department for Process Technology
Dr. Andreas Schoth
Georges-Köhler Allee 103
79110 Freiburg
Germany

phone: +497612037355
Andreas.Schoth@imtek.uni-freiburg.de