Patent ID: 8323473

Claim:
A method for monitoring machining in an electroerosion assembly having a power supply and at least one electrode arranged across a gap from a workpiece, the electrode being energized by the power supply that applies a potential difference ΔV between the electrode and the workpiece during a plurality of pulse-on periods, said method comprising: measuring a voltage at a point in a voltage waveform for the electroerosion assembly after a specified time delay t d of at least about one half of a pulse width Δτ of the voltage waveform; repeating the measurement for a plurality of pulses of the voltage waveform to obtain a plurality of voltages, each of the voltages corresponding to a point in respective ones of the pulses; averaging the voltages to obtain an average voltage; comparing the average voltage with at least one threshold voltage V th , to determine whether the machining is in control; generating at least one control signal if the comparison indicates that the process is not in control, the at least one control signal being configured to regulate at least one operating parameter of the power supply; and supplying the at least one control signal to the power supply, if the control signal has been generated.