Machining components using electro-discharge machines

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This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out electro-discharge machining operations, using spark erosion or wire erosion machines, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to check that the machine is ready for the operations to be performed, and that all the required components, consumables and measuring equipment is available. You will be expected to produce a range of component shapes, such as internal and external profiles, that have flat, square, parallel, and tapered faces, square/rectangular forms, concave and convex forms, holes, slots, radii/arcs, cavities and special forms.

You must operate the machine in line with safe working practices and approved procedures, and continuously monitor the erosion operations, making any necessary adjustments to settings in order to ensure that the work output is to the required quality and accuracy. Meeting production targets will be an important issue, and your production records must show consistent and satisfactory performance.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the electro discharge machining activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the equipment or activities that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you produce.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying electro-discharge machining procedures. You will understand the electro discharge process undertaken, and its application, and will know about the equipment, materials and consumables, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities to the required specification.

You will understand the safety precautions required when working with the machine and its associated tools and equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.

This standard does not cover CNC applications, for which other standards apply.

Setting up of the machine, its tooling and associated workholding devices, is the subject of another standard.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. confirm that the machine is set up and ready for the machining activities to be carried out
3. manipulate the machine tool controls safely and correctly in line with operational procedures
4. produce components to the required quality and within the specified dimensional accuracy
5. carry out quality sampling checks at suitable intervals
6. deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
7. complete the required production documentation
8. shut down the equipment to a safe condition on conclusion of the machining activities

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1. how to work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. the hazards associated with carrying out the electro-discharge machining operations, and how to minimise them and reduce any risks
3. the safety mechanisms on the machine, and the procedure for checking that they function correctly
4. operation of the machine controls in both hand and power modes, and how to stop the machine in an emergency
5. the personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn, and where this can be obtained
6. the importance of keeping the work area clean and tidy
7. where to obtain the component drawings, specifications and/or job instructions required for the components to be machined
8. how to extract and use information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to appropriate standards) in relation to work undertaken
9. how to interpret first and third angle drawings, imperial and metric systems of measurement, workpiece reference points and system of tolerancing
10. terminology used in electro-discharge machining in relation to the activities undertaken
11. the various erosion operations that are used to produce the required forms, and the types of electrodes or wires used
12. how to dress and reshape electrodes, and the equipment to be used
13. the methods that can be used to position the workpiece in relation to the electrodes/wire, and the equipment that is used
14. the importance of checking the position and alignment of the workpiece before commencing the erosion operations, and the tools and equipment that are used
15. how to handle and store electrodes and wires safely and correctly
16. factors which affect the selection of electrode or wire feeds and speeds
17. the application of roughing and finishing cuts, and the effect on electrode life, surface finish and dimensional accuracy
18. the reason for using dielectrics, and the type of fluid used
19. the effects of clamping the workpiece, and how this can cause distortion in the finished components
20. how to recognise erosion faults and identify when electrodes need changing
21. the quality control procedures used, inspection checks to be carried out, and the equipment to be used
22. the problems that can occur with the electro-discharge machining activities, and how these can be overcome
23. the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Ensure that you apply all of the following during the machining activities:
   1. obtain and use the appropriate documentation
   2. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
   3. ensure that machine guards are in place and correctly adjusted
   4. hold components securely without distortion
   5. maintain cutting tools in a suitable condition
   6. apply safe working practices at all times
   7. adjust machine settings, as required, to maintain the required accuracy
   8. ensure that components produced meet specification
   9. leave the work area and machine in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
2. Operate one of the following types of electro-discharge machine:
   1. spark erosion
   2. wire erosion
3. Produce machined components which include six of the following features:
   1. flat faces
   2. concave forms
   3. profile forms
   4. square/rectangular forms
   5. square faces
   6. convex forms
   7. cavities
   8. angular faces
   9. parallel faces
   10. holes
   11. radii/arcs
   12. threads
   13. engraving
   14. slots
   15. other special activities
4. Machine components made from one of the following types of material:
   1. ferrous
   2. non-ferrous
5. Carry out the necessary checks during production for accuracy of four of the following:
   1. dimensions
   2. parallelism
   3. angle/taper
   4. squareness
   5. surface texture
   6. profile
6. Produce components within all the relevant quality and accuracy standards, as applicable to the operations performed:
   1. components to be free from false starts and sharp edges
   2. tolerance to relevant standards
   3. angles within +/- 0.5 degree
   4. surface texture 32 µin or 0.8µm or 18VDI

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3

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31 Mar 2028

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Current

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Original

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Enginuity

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SEMMME3021

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Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Engineering Technicians

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3113

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Engineering; manufacturing; mechanical; machining; components; electro-discharge; spark erosion; convex forms; concave forms; slots; holes; profiles

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