Feasibility studies on the production of electro-discharge machining electrodes with rapid prototyping and the electroforming process

Abstract

Tooling is an important area in the manufacturing process. Increase in the complexity of tooling for any operation results in a corresponding increase in the time and costs required to develop such tooling. Rapid tooling is the concept of producing tools
through the aid of rapid prototyping. The ideal candidate operations for rapid tooling have been those for which it is difficult to develop tooling by the usual methods. Non-traditional machining operations are potential candidates that can make use of the
advantages of rapid tooling. One such operation is electric discharge machining (EDM) or spark eroding. In this paper the use of rapid prototype patterns, made by the stereolithography technique, for the manufacture of EDM electrodes is discussed. The
use of other techniques such as silicone rubber casting and electroforming in the making of the EDM electrode is also described.
This work deals with the viability of using an electroformed shell of copper, backed with a suitable material, as an EDM electrode. Based on the present study it can be concluded that electroformed copper electrodes seem to possess an excellent potential for use as EDM tools.