Application of Circuit Modeling in the Study of Spark Formation During Electroerosion Treatment

Abstract

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) of a workpiece is a complex, fast-flowing process characterized by alternating (intermittent) states: short circuit, idle and spark formation. The discontinuity of the EDM process means that the processing is carried out in single pulses, which are formed by a special pulse generator. The parameters of the generator pulses can be divided into time and electrical. The time period and duration of the pulses, as well as the difference between these two parameters (the “silence” interval), are considered temporary. The electric ones include the amplitude value of the voltage, the maximum permissible current, and the polarity of the pulses. in addition, depending on the device of the generator, the pulses can be composite, for example, have an igniting pulse with a higher voltage and a lower current than the main (working) pulse. In this work, we have developed a interelectrode gap model that allows not only to obtain values of electrical parameters, but also to evaluate and to optimize the electrical parameters of materials being processed with known electrical properties. The key advantage of this model is its modularity, which allows to add new functional blocks, which describe external and internal influences, for example, the concentration of erosion products, uneven electrical conductivity of the workpiece, and others, without changing its structure.