Multi-strand wire electroerosion machining method and apparatus

摘要

A multi-strand wire electroerosion machining method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a plurality of wires dispensed from respective wire sources are fed separately into a wire travel path and are assembled via wire guides into a bundle thereof. The bundle of the wires traversing a fluid-flushed cutting zone defined between machining electrode guides constitutes a single traveling electrode for electroerosively machining a workpiece. The wires from the cutting zone are taken up into a collection site while they are held sufficiently taut between the electrode guides. The workpiece is displaced relative to the bundle of traveling wires transversely to the axis thereof to machine a desired contour in the workpiece. Preferably, the wires in the bundle are twisted. Also disclosed is a rotary die for shaping the wires in their travel path to provide the bundle with a predetermined cross-sectional contour spaced from the wall of the workpiece across the machining gap.