ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS AND CONTROL DIVISION RESEARCH 2003 21

Modelling, Simulation and Controller

Design for Electro Discharge Machine
System
A Yahya and C D Manning

outer average gap voltage loop to ensure accurate position

Abstract— This article presents a model of the EDM system
for an Electrical Discharge Machine (EDM), which accurately
predicts the material removal rate for particular electrodes and
workpieces. A value for the material removal rate constant, α
has been identified based on the empirical analysis carried out
on the experimental data and compared with the simulation
result from the model using the Matlab/Simulink simulation
tool. The EDM controller is designed based on the
TMS320LF2407 DSP microprocessor.
Index Terms— Modelling, Simulation, Controller, Electrical
Discharge Machine (EDM), DSP.
I. INTRODUCTION
control of the tool electrode in relation to the workpiece.
The servo system takes the error from the VGap_ref and
VGap_act signals and generates the control signal for the servo
to position the electrode in the direction z towards the
workpiece. The servo system consists of two major
subsystems; a DC servomotor with its controller and a lead-
screw load containing the tool electrode. The mechanical
part of EDM system is shown in Fig. 2.
DC Motor
NM/ NL
Gear Ratio
Lead-screw

E LECTRICAL Discharge Machining (EDM) is a process

of metal removal by a series of rapidly reocurring
electrical discharge (spark) through a small gap filled with
Lead-screw Inertia,
JLead-screw •
θm
•
pitch, h

θ1
dielectric fluid between an electrode and a workpiece. The Reflected Inertia,
J Reflected
process removes metal in a complex combination of
electrical, thermal and mechanical effect. Basically, a spark Dielectric Ram
Fluid
(current) flows from the electrode through a dielectric fluid
Electrode
when the gap distance from tool to workpiece is reduced to a
very small clearance approximately 10 to 100 microns. Workpiece
Electrical energy from the spark is converted into heat
energy, then builds up the workpiece temperature and melts
the area on its surface. Fig. 2. EDM system plant model

II. MODELLING AND SIMULATION EDM SYSTEM The DC servomotor used in the experimental EDM
system is an "M818T(031) San Driver" motor and can be
In the EDM system, the model is categorised into two modelled as a standard permanent magnet DC motor. A
subsystems; the servo system and the EDM process where linear motion (measured in m/s) is required in order to move
the block diagram is shown in Fig. 1. the electrode in the z direction. Thus, a mathematical model
to represent the angular velocity of the motor and the linear
Multi-Loop • velocity of the electrode is written in equation 1 [1]
VGap_ref Z EDM V •
+_ Servo Process • θm • N
System θ1 = ×h =θm KL M (1)
VGap_act 2π NL

Gap Voltage
Monitor
Fig. 1. EDM system
The servo system controller is a multiloop control system
consisting of inner current, speed and position loops and an
This work was funded by Malaysian Government (MOSTE).
A. Yahya is a research student in Power and Renewable Energy (e-mail:
A.Yahya@ lboro.ac.uk).
C. Manning is a senior lecturer in Power and Renewable Energy (e-
mail: C.D.Manning@lboro.ac.uk).
The system load contributes a large amount of inertia due
to ram movement. The inertias associated with the lead-
screw (reflected inertia, JReflected and lead-screw inertia, JLead-
screw) are modelled according to Newton’s Second Law of
Motion which are discussed in [2] and [3]. Those inertias are
calculated as follows;
J Load = J Lead − screw + J Re flected (2)
A model of EDM process based on process parameters
has been investigated by Altpeter & Tricarico [4] and

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK

22 ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS AND CONTROL DIVISION RESEARCH 2003

Altpeter et al., [5]. The model has established a relationship (I *U arc *

between the servodrive and the EDM process, which can be
simulated by Matlab/Simulink. The model shown in block
diagram form in Fig. 3 consists of three main blocks known
as the breakdown model, the material removal rate and the
inverse area. The breakdown model introduced by Altpeter
& Tricarico, [4] and Kocher & Guglielmetti [6] is based on
the experimental result where the gap position, δ is related to
the ignition delay time, tD with a non-linear relation as
shown in equation.
tA ). Fig. 7 also shows the experimental α
max
t A + tB + tD
value of 5 × 10 −12 m3/J for graphite-steel. This α value for
graphite steel material is slightly higher when compared to
the copper-steel material [8]. Therefore, it is found that
different material properties for EDM process will give
different α value. Thus, a simulation analysis must consider
the material properties for electrode and workpiece as to
obtain the correct α value for an accurate prediction of the
erosion rate.

tD = v × δ n (3)

where v = 1.704 x 1025 and n = 6.57.

The next block in the diagram of the EDM process is the

material removal rate. Altpeter et al. [6] reported that
material removal per spark is proportional to discharge
energy, UarcImaxtA and volumetric material removal rate is
proportional to sparking frequency, 1/ (tD + tA + tB). The
material removal rate can therefore be represented by the
following equation;
• U I t
V = α arc max A (4)
tD + t A + tB

Another process parameter determined from the

experimental analysis is α. This is a material removal rate Fig. 4. Erosion rate as a function of average gap power (W).
constant for particular material properties. This parameter is
used in the material removal rate block diagram for accurate The following Fig. 5 shows the erosion rate as a function
prediction of erosion rate. The α value for copper electrode of tA for a particular value of Imax. The graph shows a good
and steel workpiece has been reported by Yahya & Manning agreement between the simulation and the experimental
[7] since the value proposed by Altpeter & Tricarico [4] is results.
too low when compared to the experimental result. The last
Simulation result with
block diagram of the EDM process is the inverse area, which 60
can be multiplied by the value of volumetric material m3
α = 5 × 10 −12
J
removal to give a workpiece surface position ξ. The EDM 50
system models as explained above were used in a
40 Imax = 12.5 A
Matlab/Simulink simulation to ascertain the erosion rate in •  mm 3

mm3/min for graphite electrodes and steel workpieces. 
V 

 min  30
α Uarc tA tB I max
20 Experimental result

Inverse area 10
•  m3 
V (m3 ) V  

1  s  α × U arc × I max × t A
∫ 0
A t A + tB + tD
0 5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
ξ (m) Material removal rate tA ( µ S )

_ δ (m ) t D (s ) Fig. 5. Erosion rate as a function of on-time, tA showing a comparison of

z + v ×δ n simulation and experimental results for graphite-steel material.

Breakdown model

Fig. 3. Model of EDM process

A series of test has been conducted on the experimental

EDM machine using graphite for the electrode and steel for
the workpiece. The test data are based on the optimum value
of the material removal rate. A graph of the experimental
graphite-steel results is plotted in Fig. 4. It shows the erosion
rate as a function of average gap power

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK

 ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS AND CONTROL DIVISION RESEARCH 2003 23

III. CONTROLLER DESIGN
The eZdspTM LF2407A is a self-contained, standalone
development platform for the TMS320LF2407A Fixed Point
Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The TMS320TM DSP
architectural design of the C2xx core CPU has improved the
2407A device for low-cost, low-power and high
performance [9]. Other features such as built-in quadrature
encoder pulse (QEP) circuits, high speed ADC converter and
large number of digital I/O, make it a desirable device for
digital motion control [10].
The DSP is targeted to provide a single chip solution to
control the EDM system. Fig. 6 illustrates the DSP module
as a microprocessor control for the EDM system.
PC TMS320LF2407A
EDM System
Hardware Interface
Controller
Fig. 6 DSP module as a microprocessor control for the EDM
system.
The control software for EDM system is written in C by
allocating several modules to perform the task. Most of the
digital I/Os are used for generating and receiving a signal.
IV. CONCLUSION
An EDM system has been modelled and simulated to predict
the erosion rate. The material removal rate constant, α has
been identified from the empirical analysis. Therefore an
accurate prediction of erosion rate can be obtained from
simulation. The DSP controller is designed based on the
existing analogue controller. Thus, controller performance
can easily be enhanced by means of software
implementation.
REFERENCES
[1] Minarik Automation & Control, (2003) www.minarikcorp.com,
Internet application notes.
[2] Benjamin, C., Kuo., (1991), "Automatic Control Systems", Prentice-
Hall, ISBN 0-13-051046-7.
[3] Charles, L., P., and Royce, D., H., (2000), "Feedback Control
Systems", Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-016124-1.
[4] Altpeter, F., and Tricarico, C., (2001), “Modeling for EDM gap
control in die sinking”, 13th International Symposium For
Electromachining, pp. 75-83.
[5] Altpeter, F., Cors, J., Kocher, M., and Longchamp, R., (1998), “EDM
modeling for control”, 12th International Symposium For
Electromachining, pp. 149-155.
[6] Kocher, M., and Guglielmetti, P., (1999), “Modeling and simulation
of an EDM die sinking machine”, pp. 105-113.
[7] Yahya, A. & Manning C.D. (2003). PREP2003, April 2003, Exeter,
UK, Conference CD.
[8] Yahya, A. & Manning C.D. (2003). “Modelling and Simulation of
die-sinking electro discharge machine systems”, Third Asian
Conference on Industrial Automation and Robotics, pp 1-4.
[9] Sprs094g., (2001), "TMS320LF2407, TMS320LF2406,
TMS320LF2402, DSP Controllers", Application Notes Texas
Instrument.
[10] Xiao, J., Dulimatra, H., Yu, Z., Xi, N., & Tummala, R.L. (2000)
“Controller Design for an Autonomous Wall-climbing Micro-robot
Based on TI 320LF2407 DSP Chip”, Symposia on Digital Control
Systems Applications, DSPS Fest’2000, Houston, Texas, August 2-4,
2000.

These digital I/Os provide the interface between the operator

and the machine. The ADC modules are also used to
generate the process parameters of 'ON' and 'OFF' time
according to the degree of roughing (high erosion rate) or
finishing (good surface finishing). A flowchart to represent
one of the sequence for EDM Timing is shown in Fig. 7.

START

SET
RST=1
RST=0

PBS1=1
PBS2=1
PBS1 CHECK
PBS1 Y
PBS2 PBS2 Y
PBS1 = PBS2

N
CHECK
ACRP ARCP ARCP=0
4 4 4=0 N
GS GS GS=0
+FF +FF +FF=0
EVERY 0.1mS
Y

SET RST=0 SET RST=1

SET RST=1 SET RST=0

OUT

Fig. 7 EDM Timing Flowchart

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK