SPARK EROSION MACHINING OF INTRICATE WORKING SURFACES IN CAST WATERCOOLED DIES.

Spark erosion (SE) machining is a progressive method of sinking cast metal dies. The process is a factor in perfecting the production of chill-molds, press tools, forming dies and other types of tooling. The NIISL Institute has developed the SE process for intricate working surfaces in dies (chill molds), and introduced it in a number of plants. The die plate blanks can be either sand castings or rolled stock. This article relates specifically to die blanks in hydraulic apparatus and made from aluminum alloys.