Kita, M., Ishida, T., and Takeuchi, Y.
Paper:
Direct Measurement of Electrode Movement
During Electrical Discharge Machining
by Means of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller
Masahiko Kita, Tohru Ishida, and Yoshimi Takeuchi
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University
Yamadaoka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
E-mail: {kita@cape, ishidat@, takeuchi@}mech.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp
[Received September 1, 2010; accepted October 15, 2010]
This study deals with the development of a new
method of directly measuring the movement of an elec-
trode during normal electrical discharge machining
(EDM) and the movement of an electrode during EDM
by means of an automatic discharge gap controller
(ADGC) devised by our research group. The ADGC,
which mainly consists of a bidirectional actuator us-
ing a shape memory alloy (SMA) and an electrode and
power supply for EDM, can sustain stable EDM by au-
tonomously and automatically controlling the position
of the electrode to keep the discharge gap appropriate.
However, the movement of the electrode being con-
trolled by the ADGC cannot be directly measured due
to its minute, high-speed, vibration-like movements in-
side the working fluid during EDM. This means that
there is no way to prove that the ADGC actually con-
trols the position of the electrode so as to maintain
a suitable discharge gap for continuing stable EDM.
This also means that there is no way to evaluate the
movement of the electrode quantitatively and to design
or optimize the structure of an ADGC so as to give the
ADGC the desired or best performance. Therefore, a
method to directly measure the electrode movement by
an ADGC is devised in this study. The results obtained
in the measurement experiments using this method of
measurement prove that the ADGC actually moves its
electrode to achieve stable EDM, and they allow the
movement of the electrode to be evaluated quantita-
tively.
Keywords: electrical discharge machining, discharge
gap, measurement, bidirectional actuator, shape memory
alloy
1. Introduction
Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is different from
other methods of machining; it has its own particular char-
acteristics. One of these characteristics is that the reactive
force against tools used in machining is much lower than
that when other methods, such as cutting and grinding, are
used. Therefore, an apparatus supporting a tool for EDM,
552
i.e., a tool electrode, is not always required for the high
stiffness structure that is needed for cutting or grinding.
Accordingly, the miniaturization of EDM devices is com-
paratively easier than that of cutting or grinding devices.
Two types of miniaturized devices for EDM have been
proposed. One is a device employing piezoelectric ac-
tuators [1, 2], and the other is a device utilizing shape
memory alloy (SMA) actuators [3]. The latter has been
proposed by our research group and has been dubbed the
automatic discharge gap controller (ADGC). The ADGC
is designed to autonomously and automatically control
the electrode position without feedback systems so that
the discharge gap is always kept suitable for stable EDM.
The results of the verification experiments have proven
that the ADGC has the ability to perform stable EDM [3].
However, the movement of the electrode being controlled
by the ADGC could not be directly measured, although
it could easily be expected that the electrode movement
to be measured is a high-speed vibration of microme-
ter order inside of working fluid. However, since there
is no method to precisely measure an object rapidly and
minutely vibrating inside a liquid, there is no evidence
that the ADGC can actually control the electrode position,
and the electrode movement cannot be evaluated quanti-
tatively.
To solve this problem, this study develops a new device
which can directly measure the movement of an electrode
as it is controlled by the ADGC performing EDM. The
new measuring device is used on a die-sinking electrical
discharge machine, and it consists mainly of a laser dis-
placement sensor, a case which contains the sensor head
and is fixed on the bottom of the working tank filled with
working fluid, and an ADGC with a cup-shaped electrode
attached to the main axis. As a result of the measurement
experiments using this device, the electrode movement
controlled by the ADGC performing EDM can be directly
measured with sufficient accuracy. Concretely described,
the changes in the position and speed of the electrode that
the ADGC makes to keep the discharge gap suitable for
sustaining stable EDM can be measured. This is direct
evidence that the ADGC actually controls the electrode
position to achieve stable EDM, and it is the important
first step to quantitative evaluation of the electrode move-
Int. J. of Automation Technology Vol.4 No.6, 2010
 Direct Measurement of Electrode Movement
During Electrical Discharge Machining
by Means of Automatic Discharge Gap Controller

ment by the ADGC performing EDM, evaluation that will Electrode Shaft Bidirectional actuator
enable the design or optimization of the structure of the
ADGC so as to make the ADGC have the desired or best
performance.

Workpiece Power
2. Automatic Discharge Gap Controller Power supply cable

2.1. Basic Structure and Discharge Gap Control Fig. 1. Basic structure of ADGC.
Process [3]

Figure 1 illustrates the basic structure of the ADGC. Shaft

SMA spring
Disk
Bias spring
Case
The ADGC is basically composed of a bidirectional ac-
tuator and an electrode and power supply for EDM. The
bidirectional actuator is an actuator employing SMA and
equipped with a shaft that has the electrode mounted on
the end of it. By connecting the bidirectional actuator,
a workpiece, and the power supply, EDM is performed
between the electrode and the workpiece. The discharge
current generated by EDM is designed to pass through the
SMA in the bidirectional actuator.
Figure 2 illustrates the basic structure and movement
of the bidirectional actuator. The bidirectional actuator
is basically composed of a spring made of SMA, a bias Position 2 Temperature of SMA : HIGH
spring made of spring steel, a shaft, a disk, and a case. A Position 1 Temperature of SMA : LOW
typical example can be seen in Fig. 2. The SMA spring
and the bias spring are assembled between the case and Fig. 2. Basic structure and movement of bidirectional actuator.
the disk so that they apply force to each other through the
disk and case. Accordingly, the equilibrium of their forces
determines the position of the disk, or, the shaft from the
in the forces that the SMA spring and the bias spring ap-
viewpoint of the case, since the shaft is attached to the
ply to each other. As a consequence, the SMA spring and
disk.
SMA is known as an actuator which is driven by the the bias spring have their respective displacements so that
the equilibrium of force between them is again achieved.
change in its temperature. To be specific, the shape of
SMA changes from a deformed to a memorized shape This produces the change in the position of the shaft. In
when the temperature of SMA rises: SMA has a phase short, the SMA spring temperature can control the shaft
position, as can be seen in Fig. 2.
transformation temperature. In general, the phase of SMA
is martensite or austenite, depending on whether the tem- In general, the temperature of the SMA can be con-
trolled by electric current passing through it since the
perature of SMA is lower or higher than the phase trans-
electric resistance of the SMA is to the degree that it
formation temperature. If it is martensite, plastic defor-
mations applied to SMA remain as they do in normal met- can be heated by electric current. Accordingly, the dis-
charge current provided by EDM, which is performed be-
als. This is the aforementioned deformed shape. How-
ever, if it is austenite, the plastic deformations applied to tween the electrode and a workpiece, can control the SMA
SMA do not remain; the shape of SMA always returns spring temperature. This means that the discharge cur-
rent can control the shaft position, i.e. the electrode po-
to a certain constant shape, the aforementioned memo-
rized shape. This is because the shape of SMA in the sition, since the electrode is mounted on the shaft. Ad-
ditionally, the discharge current in EDM generally de-
austenite phase can be preserved by a heat treatment.
pends on the discharge gap; that is, a narrow discharge gap
Consequently, the phase transformation from martensite
to austenite changes the shape of SMA from a deformed makes the discharge current increase, and, to the contrary,
a wide discharge gap makes discharge current decrease.
shape to a memorized one.
Simultaneously with the change in the shape, the phase As shown in Fig. 3, as a result, the ADGC can control
transformation from martensite to austenite increases the the electrode position autonomously and automatically. It
makes the discharge gap wide when the discharge cur-
modulus of transverse elasticity of the SMA. In other
words, the modulus of transverse elasticity of an SMA rent is high and narrow when the discharge current is low.
In other words, the ADGC can control the discharge gap,
in the austenite phase is higher than that of an SMA in
keeping it suitable by adjusting the electrode to the appro-
the martensite phase. In the bidirectional actuator, conse-
quently, the rising temperature of the SMA spring leads priate position in accordance with the discharge current so
that stable EDM is sustained.
to both a change in the shape and an increase in the spring
constant of the SMA spring. This results in an imbalance

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