The static and dynamic characteristics of the EDM machine as the main machining unit directly influence the machining accuracy and stability. For a particular type of the EDM machine, the three-dimensional model was built with SolidWorks and the finite element method was employed with the ANSYS Workbench to analyze the static and dynamic characteristics of the machine. The results show that the stiffness of the ram and vertical guide (Z-axis) in the Y and Z directions is the weak side of the machine. The analytical method is proved to be effective for the optimization of the machine design.

This paper highlights two important aspects of the electromagnetic field modeling and simulation when used for industrial applications, namely the application based benchmarking activities and the magnetic material modeling. It emphasizes the relationship between the two, and briefly reviews the recent progress in extending the TEAM (Testing Electromagnetic Analysis Methods) Problem 21 Family (P21) and the related modeling results, and proposes a new benchmarking project which includes the upgraded benchmark models that can handle extreme excitations, i.e. current sources with a DC bias, as well as multiple harmonics.