Tool wear compensation and path generation in micro and macro EDM

In micro electrical discharge machining (Micro-EDM), tool wear adversely affects the accuracy of a machined feature or a part. Therefore, tool wear compensation techniques have been proposed for micro- and macro-EDM operations. However, some of these techniques require extensive experiments in determining the appropriate tool path (which depends on part feature, material and machining parameters) for machining a desired surface. This paper reports the development of a theoretical model to develop the tool path for generating a desired workpiece surface profile. The application of the model is illustrated for micro- and macro-EDM by machining flat slots. A review of tool wear compensation techniques is also presented.