Improvement of machining accuracy by fuzzy logic at corner parts for wire-EDM

Abstract

Wire electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM) has always occupied an important position in some production fields, due to its capability of machining hard materials and intricate shapes. However, the machining accuracy, especially at corner parts, may be destroyed because of some phenomena such as wire deflection and vibration, etc. The purpose of this paper is to develop a control strategy based on fuzzy logic so that the machining accuracy at corner parts for wire-EDM can be improved. The fuzzy rules based on the wire-EDM's physical characteristics, experimental data, and operator's experience are constructed, so that the reduced percentage of sparking force can be determined by a multi-variables fuzzy logic controller. The objective of the total control is to improve the machining accuracy at corner parts, but still keep the cutting feedrate at fair values. As a result of experiments, machining errors of corner parts, especially in rough-cutting, can be reduced to less than 50% of those in normal machining, while the machining process time increases not more than 10% of the normal value. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.