Electrospark Machining Solution

The present invention relates to a machining solution intended for use in electrospark machining.

A so-called "ordinary electrospark machining method" using a mold electrode and a wire type electrospark machining method employing a wire electrode are well known in the art. In each of these methods, a machining electrode is confronted with a workpiece in a machining solution with a gap between the electrode and workpiece and the workpiece is machined by sparks produced in the gap.

During the electrospark machining operation, machining solution is abruptly vaporized by columns of sparks to produce a high pressure which dislodges molten parts of the workpiece. The machining solution also serves to cool molten fine metal particles which have been scattered from the workpiece thereby to remove machining chips, decomposed carbon particles, and other unwanted debris from the machining gap.

In general, the machining solution used with the wire type electrospark machining method is water. Therefore, there is little danger of fire caused by the machining solution. On the other hand, an inflammable oil such as mineral oil, which is a good insulator, is generally employed as the machining solution used with the ordinary electrospark machining method because water greatly reduces the machining rate. Unfortunately, if the level of the inflammable machining solution in the machining bath decreases significantly during an electrospark machining operation, the solution may be ignited by the sparks resulting in a fire. Thus, the ordinary electrospark machining method is disadvantageous in that it is necessary to provide a way of preventing the inflammable machining solution from igniting.

However, since a inflammable machining solution must be used as a practical matter, the ordinary electrospark machining method suffers from a drawback in that, even if a way is provided for preventing ignition of the machining solution, it is impossible to assure that unmanned operation is absolutely safe for long periods. Furthermore, the inflammable mineral oil itself involves a problem in that it is malodorous, somewhat poisonous and presents a sanitation problem in that it tends to stick to the hands of the operator.

In order to prevent fires, a nonflammable oil such as a silicon oil, fluorinated oil or chlorinated oil may be employed as the machining oil. However, silicon oil and fluorinated oil are considerably expensive and chlorinated oil is poisonous.

Accordingly, a first object of the invention is to provide an electrospark machining solution which is nonflammable and which provides an excellent machining rate. A second object of the invention is to provide an electrospark machining solution which has no foul odor and is excellent so far a safety and sanitation are concerned.

A third object of the invention is to provide an electrospark machining solution which can be prepared at low cost.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide an electrospark machining solution which has a sufficiently high preservative effect.

A fifth object of the invention is to provide an electrospark machining solution which has a predetermined insulation resistance and provides a predetermined machining rate.

The foregoing objects and other objects of the invention are met by an electrospark machining solution comprising primarily an aqueous solution of saccharide to which may be added a preservative agent and/or an anticorrosive agent.

In the accompanying drawing, the single FIG. 1 is a graphical representation indicating characteristic curves showing machining rate with cane sugar density and viscosity with cane sugar density.

The invention, which as been developed in order to eliminate difficulties accompanying conventional electrospark machining solutions, provides electrospark machining solutions which are nonflammable and do not harm machining performance. In accordance with the invention, an aqueous solution of saccharide is employed as an electrospark machining solution.

A homogeneous saccharide aqueous solution can easily be obtained by dissolving saccharide in water and the fluidity of the saccharide aqueous solution thus obtained can be changed as desired by adjusting its density. The saccharide aqueous solution has an insulating characteristic high enough to cause spark discharge between a workpiece and a machining electrode. By way of example, the electrical conductivities of white sugar (cane sugar) with different densities are as indicated in Table 1 below:

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described. In order to compare machining rates which are obtained employing saccharide aqueous solutions for machining solutions with those which are provided employing conventional machining oil and water as the machining solutions, quenched steels were electrospark-machined with a copper machining electrode under the same electrical conditions. The results of the electrospark machining tests are as indicated in Table 2 below:

As is apparent from Table 2, machining rates of the machining solutions according to the invention are several times that of water and are substantially equal to that of conventional machining oil. In addition, it has been found that the surfaces of the workpieces machined with machining solutions of the invention are more satisfactory than that obtained using water or conventional machining oil as the machining solution.

The relationship between the machining rate and the machining solution density will be described with reference to FIG. 1 in which a cane sugar aqueous solution was employed as the machining solution by way of example. As the machining solution density increases, the machining rate increases. However, it should be noted that, when the machining solution density exceeds 55% by weight, the viscosity of the machining liquid increases abruptly. As the viscosity of the machining solution increases as described above, the permeability of the machining solution decreases as a result of which it is difficult to remove powder which is created by the electrospark machining. This is undoubtedly unsuitable for electrospark machining. In addition, as the viscosity of the solution increases, the roughness of the machined surface correspondingly increases. Therefore, it can be considered that the optimum machining density ranges from 5% to 55% by weight. If kerosene is used as the machining solution, the machining rate is about 2.1 g/min and the viscosity is about 2 cp at 40.degree. C.

In the above-described embodiment, cane sugar (white sugar) is used. However, the same effects can be obtained using grape sugar, fruit sugar and malt sugar. These sugars may be used solely or in combination. Additives may be added to the sugars. The density of the saccharide aqueous solution is not always limited to those described above and it may be varied within an electrospark machining enabling range as indicated in FIG. 1. The machining solution of the invention is applicable not only to the ordinary electrospark machining method but also to other electrospark methods where a wire is used as the machining electrode.

In machining a workpiece with the nonflammable saccharide aqueous solution of the invention as the machining solution, no fire is caused even if a mistake is made during the machining operation. Accordingly, an electrospark machining device can be so designed that it automatically machines workpieces which is an important labor-saving feature. The machining solution of the invention produces no foul odor. Even if the machining solution sticks to the hands of the operator, there is no danger as the solution is not poisonous. Thus, the machining solution of the invention is free from sanitary hazards and can be used in safety which contributes to an improvement of the machining work efficiency. In addition, the machining solution of the invention can be readily prepared.

An anticorrosive may be employed as an additive to the saccharide aqueous solution of the invention in order to eliminate a difficulty that, when an electrospark machining operation is carried out using saccharide aqueous solution, for long periods of time, the workpiece corrodes during the machining operation. Examples of appropriate anticorrosives are sodium nitride, sodium polyphosphate, sodium dichromate and sodium silicate. However, especially triethanol amine in an amount of 0.05 to 0.1% by the weight of the nonflammable machining solution is most suitable in terms of its density, insulating properties and the machining rate provided.

Furthermore, a preservative may be employed as an additive to the above-described saccharide aqueous solution. The use of a preservative is effective in eliminating the difficulty that, when an electrospark machining operation is carried out with a nonflammable machining solution including saccharide for long periods of time, the machining solution may be spoiled during the machining operation thus reducing the service life of an ion exchange bath which is provided for maintaining the resistivity of the machining solution.

Electrospark machining solutions prepared by adding benzoic acid, salicylic acid and dehydroacetic acid as preservatives to nonflammable machining solutions including saccharide aqueous solution have been tested. However, with these preservatives it has been difficult to obtain sufficient preservative effects with an acceptable insulation resistance.

The insulation resistance property will be discussed in more detail. If benzoic acid of 0.1% by weight is added to the nonflammable machining solution including the saccharide solution, the resulting resistivity is 2.3.times.10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm, if 0.1% of salicylic acid is added thereto, the resistivity is 8.0.times.10.sup.2 .OMEGA.cm, and if dehydroacetic acid of 0.1% is added thereto, the resistivity is 9.5.times.10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm. In order to obtain a preferred insulation resistance of 1.times.10.sup.4 .OMEGA.cm, it is necesary to reduce the density of the preservative to a considerably low value. A solution with a preservative the density of which is thus reduced has a considerably low preservative effect to the extent that it is not practical for use as a machining solution.

In order to eliminate the above-described difficulty and to provide an electrospark machining solution which can provide the desired insulation resistance and machining rate as in a nonflammable machining solution containing saccharide solution and is yet sufficiently effective in preservation, a machining solution has been prepared by adding an alkyl para-hydroxybenzoate, specifically ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate of 0.01% to 0.1% by weight to the nonflammable machining solution containing saccharide solution.

The relation between the density of ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate and the preservative effect will be specifically described. Table 3 below indicates the relationships between machining solutions of different densities, time until the solutions are spoiled, and the resistivities of the solutions after thirty days.

As is apparent from Table 3, a machining solution containing ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate in an amount of 0.01 to 0.1% has the desired insulation resistance (1.times.10.sup.4 .OMEGA.cm) and maintains it for a long period of time and has a sufficiently high preservative effect.

Now, the relation between the density of ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate and the machining rate will be described.

Table 4 indicates the machining rates for electrospark machining solutions. As is clear from Table 4, an electrospark machining solution prepared by adding 0.1% by wieght of para-hyroxybenzoate 0.1% to 30% cane sugar solution is substantially equal in machining rate to that prepared using 30% cane sugar solution.

As is apparent from the above description, in order to prepare a machining solution which is equivalent in insulation resistance and machining rate to a nonflammable machining solution containing saccharide solution and which is sufficiently high in preservative effect, it is preferable to add ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate of 0.01 to 0.1% by weight to the cane sugar aqueous solution.

According to the invention, a machining solution is provided which has the desired insulation resistance and machining rate and has a sufficiently high preservative effect by adding 0.01 to 0.1% by weight ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate to the described nonflammable machining solution containing saccharide solution.