ME 330: Assignment #1

Problem 1 (40 marks):

Jason and Shaun are the main product engineers for a small company that designs and produces several accessories for
bicycle riding and bike maintenance. One of their key products, the Wheel-True, aids a user or bike shop in balancing the
bicycles tires on its frame. The Wheel-True assembly consists of one large plastic injection molded part, another smaller
metal part, and a few fasteners.

The large part in the Wheel-True gets molded in a fairly complex pair of hardened steel injection molding dies. Jason and
Shaun have managed the design and fabrication of the die set. Each die has some simple, deep cavities that can be
machined (however slowly) on a CNC-controlled milling machine. Other shallower features are more complex, with
sharp corners and intricate detail. These are best produced on a Ram-type EDM machine. Finally, one die half needs a
complex, die component to be cut from a steel plate and inserted into the main die cavity. This insert component needs to
be cut with a CNC-controlled Wire-EDM process, both to achieve the insert geometry and also to cut the tapered sides
needed for the die.

The insert part, which is to be cut with Wire-EDM, has very tight dimensional tolerances, so Jason and Shaun are very
careful to communicate with and work with their EDM service provider. For example, a key dimension on the insert is
targeted to be 3.375 inches between two machined flat walls. The Wire-EDM machine that will cut the part uses wire
with a diameter of .006 inches. In planning the path of the wire to cut the two machined flat walls, the machine
programmer must account for the part size, the wire size, and any overcut from the cutting process. Jason and Shaun are
concerned about getting the part right and want to do what they can to work with the programmer to prevent problems.

WATCH THE THREE VIDEOS on Electrical Discharge Machining (this can be found from the course web, video page:
EDM). The following are questions to be responded by you:

1. Is the mechanism of material removal in EDM better described as mechanical shearing, fracture from impact,
thermal melting and vaporization, or chemical reaction/etching? Explain.
2. Various types of unwanted surface damage and effects can result from the EDM process. What can be done about
the white/recast layer?
3. The electrode (tool) in EDM never actually touches the work part during the process. How then does the tool
wear in a Ram-type EDM process?
4. Do Jason and Shaun have to worry about a change in wire size as it wears during the Wire-EDM process used to
cut the insert piece? Explain.

Problem 2 (30 marks):

Compare the principles of EDM and ECM: their similarity and difference. Discuss whether the two manufacturing tasks
(one with RAM-EDM and one with Wire-EDM) can be completed based on any process of ECM.

Problem 3 (30 marks):

Explain the mechanism of how to make use of the press-fitting for device safety.