[ACMoldShop]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this forum, but I am hoping to get some help with some problems we are having effectively using a sinker EDM we just bought. The machine is a 1999 Mitsubishi EA8 and we only recently purchased the machine. We are a two-man plastic injection mold shop and we both have experience on manually operated sinker EDM machines, but this is our first venture into NC operated EDM technology.

The Mitsubishi machine comes equipped with ESPER II programming software. This is completely new to both of us and, although we have read the manuals and experimented with the software, we still don't really understand the basics of this programming system.

Some basic concepts we don't understand are Master Packs and E Packs and how these relate to NC files and how all of this relates to the ESPER II programming method. The manual seems to state that a Master Pack is a set of user-inputted data about the burn conditions and desired outcome (Finish...etc...) and that ESPER II uses this data along with data about the electrode used to select preexisting E Packs that essentially set all the electrical conditions to achieve the desired outcome given the burn circumstances defined in the Master Pack. I have no idea if this understanding is accurate, and would appreciate any information anyone might like to offer.

I have tried to locate information on ESPER II programming online and have had no luck. I would appreciate anyone who can offer any basic information about this system or who can steer me toward resources that might be helpful. I have contacted Mitsubishi and they offered to send in a Rep for some training, but that is a prohibitive expense for our small shop, so we want to try to teach ourselves first.

Thanks.

[Royster]

Hi, We too have an EA8 1999.

I am very versed with how to program using ESPER but to teach here on a forum would be quite a challenge.

Can you not afford to get someone in for an hours training? I wouldn't think you'd need more than an hour to get 75% use from the machine.

anyhow here are some basics:

EPACK = a file containing power settings, ontime, offtime, jumpup, jumpdown et al. These are generated by ESPER from E2000 up to E2??? If you have some great Epack you want to keep then it has to be stored below E2000 (E1 perhaps)

MPACK = a file containing EPACK numbers, going from a rough setting down to your finish setting As called from your ESPER program

writing a program:

Goto esper and in column 1 enter XYZ start point and Z end point then highlight ECOND (should really be called MCOND) then press search ECOND

fill as much in as you can (should be self expanatory) then press OK

Save your program, press manual/auto to goto auto mode and press prog search / ESPER

Cycle start should get your machine running.


Hope this helps If I can help further ask away

[ACMoldShop]

Thank you very much for this information. We have rep. from the machine dealer coming for some training, but we really wanted to better understand the basics before he arrives. Thanks for that information. We'll be playing around with the machine more today.

Did you say that you run the same machine? Has it been a good machine for you?

[Royster]

utterly stunning machine. Proper fast too.

You will have to play about with the settings to get it singing! Including turning FUZZY on and off when required. Sometimes Fuzzy spends too long protecting our electrode and really I need it blasting away on full power!

All the best with your machine. The only areas that might need attention in future are the fluid Circulation pump (gets lazy) and the screen brightness bulb. (gets dull)

Otherwise it should give you many years of trouble free service

Enjoy