ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING (EDM) HAS PROVEN ITSELF TO BE A USEFUL TOOL IN TODAY'S INDUSTRY BY OFFERING THE ADVANTAGE OF CONVENTIONALLY MACHINING RELATIVELY EASY- TO-MACHINE ELECTRODE MATERIALS INSTEAD OF HARD-TO-MACHINE WORKPIECE MATERIALS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE ELECTRODES ARE CONSUMED IN THE EDM PROCESS, TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY, PARTICULARLY ON COMPLEX, THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPES, THE COST AND CONVENIENCE OF FORMING THE ELECTRODES CONSUMED MUST BE IMPROVED: COMPLEX ELECTRODES OFTEN COMPRISE THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF AN EDM MANUFACTURING SYSTEM. TWO RECENTLY DEVELOPED TECHNIQUES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED THE TIME AND EXPENSE OF INITIAL FORMING AND REDRESSING GRAPHITE ELECTRODES FOR SUBSEQUENT EDM. THE ORBITAL AND ULTRASONIC ABRASION PROCESSES PRODUCE DIMENSIONALLY ACCURATE GRAPHITE ELECTRODES WHICH CAN EASILY BE REDRESSED AND REUSED. THESE ELECTRODE FORMING METHODS PROVIDE FOR