THE PROCESSING OF PLANE COMPLEX CONTOURS USING WIRE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING

Abstract

The paper presents two original methods that can be used in the case of cutting complex contours using wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM): the osculating circle method and the three-point circle definition method. The expression "complex contour" refers to a contour that comprises random technical curves which cannot be cut using the interpolation equipment of CNC WEDM machines. The two methods proposed approximate the arcs of random technical curves through arcs of a circle and can be implemented in practice on any WEDM machine. Even though they were devised for WEDM processing specifically, the methods proposed can also be used when dealing with the cutting of complex contours using other nonconventional means of processing, such as: LASER cutting, electron- or ion-beam cutting, plasma cutting, and even water jet cutting.