Patent ID: 7262382

Claim:
An electrical discharge machine comprising a machining electrode assembly, an electrode dresser, a controller, and a workpiece support, wherein: said machining electrode assembly comprises an electrode guide configured to align a machining tip of a machining electrode along a machining axis of said electrical discharge machine; said electrical discharge machine is configured to define a workpiece machining envelope encompassing workpiece machining points at which a machining electrode aligned by said electrode guide is able to machine at least a portion of a workpiece supported by said workpiece support; said workpiece machining points are defined through movement of an aligned machining electrode, said workpiece, or both said machining electrode and said workpiece; said electrical discharge machine is configured to direct a dielectric fluid through an interior fluid passage of an aligned machining electrode in the direction of a machining tip of said machining electrode; said electrical discharge machine is configured to engage an aligned machining electrode and said electrode dresser and execute a dressing operation upon a machining tip of said aligned machining electrode; said dressing operation is executed so as to modify the profile of said machining tip to an extent sufficient to enable dressed workpiece machining by said modified machining tip distinct from initial workpiece machining by said aligned machining electrode prior to said dressing operation; and said controller is programmed to: direct said initial workpiece machining at a plurality of said workpiece machining points, direct storage of position coordinates corresponding to said plurality of workpiece machining points, and direct said dressed workpiece machining at said plurality of stored workpiece machining points with said modified machining tip by recalling said stored position coordinates.