Patent ID: 7301116

Claim:
A programmed electrode wear compensation device for a 3D EDM scanning apparatus, operating in conjunction with a storage device for roughness of workpiece, electrode dimensions, electrode structure and material, a storage device for discharge and empirical parameters and a CAD/CAM device, said programmed electrode wear compensation device comprising: an input interface, which is a user interface and is connected with said CAD/CAM device, receiving raw data therefrom; a computing device, calculating from said raw data compensated data for a working oath which is corrected for electrode wear; and an output interface, transmitting said compensated data to a control device controlling a working apparatus; wherein said compensated data include compensation rules for electrode wear, said raw data and manually input compensation data; and wherein said compensation rules comprise (a) working a 3D groove by clearing away various 2D layers; (b) working each 2D layer in a plane, using crossing working path sections; (c) for each 2D layer, setting a ratio r of an electrode diameter and distances of neighboring working paths by 0<r<1, preferably r=0.7; (d) calculating electrode wear compensation data for (1) working perpendicularly to said layers, (2) for each layer, working in a first cut, (3) for each layer, where distances between working path sections are smaller than a diameter of said electrode, (4) fine cutting; and (e) halting working, if electrode wear has exceeded a threshold that requires replacing of the electrode, resuming working after replacing of the electrode is again performed with compensation of electrode wear.