Zone: EDM Equipment

Room To Grow

This wire EDM job shop in Wisconsin acquired a submerged cutting wire machine that lets it handle larger, taller workpieces than just about any other job shop in the country. The new machine has a “column-up” option that adds a riser block between the X-axis saddle and the Z-axis column casting to give it exceptionally tall cutting capacity. The machine was installed in November 2007.

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The Automation Inspiration
1/18/2010 Modern Machine Shop: Although automated manufacturing cells typically consist of standard products such as CNC machine tools, robots, pallets and cell control software, almost all of these systems rely on inventive concepts developed for the particular application. These "good ideas" often account for the outstanding productivity and flexibility of these systems. This article looks at several of the "good ideas" that characterize a cell comprised of seven wire EDM units and a robot on a rail transfer unit.
The Hidden Cost Of EDM Wire Consumption
12/17/2009 Modern Machine Shop: Excessive wire consumption on a wire electrical discharge machine is costly. Technology that allows slower unspooling speeds without compromising results appears to be the answer.
The Most Valuable Resource For Succeeding At Lean
7/10/2009 Modern Machine Shop: What is the most valuable resource? The answer is probably obvious: the people. This shop started to succeed at lean manufacturing once every employee got involved.
How Do You Machine a 30:1 Hole in Stainless Without the Drill Wandering?
5/21/2009 Modern Machine Shop: An expert in micromachining says one answer is to check various aspects of the drilling process. Another answer is not to use a drill at all.
Too Small To Touch
4/6/2009 Modern Machine Shop: Hummingbird takes on machining work that is too small for most shops to handle. In fact, Hummingbird tries not to handle it either. To accurately machine the tiniest parts, this shop relies on processes that are as hands-off as possible.

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Overview Of:
EDM Equipment

In EDM, or electrical discharge machining, the equivalent of tiny lightning bolts perform the material removal. Though slow in terms of metal removal rate, EDM is capable of machining complex shapes in hard materials. Mold and die makers, as well as makers of jet engine components, rely on EDM routinely. The process includes an electrode and a workpiece, both submerged in dielectric fluid. Current flows between the workpiece and electrode, repeatedly creating tiny plasma zones with temperatures around 10,000 degrees C. The high temperatures produce localized, instantaneous melting of the material. Though the process may seem violent, it occurs on such a tiny scale that the resulting metal removal can be precisely controlled. The electrode in EDM takes different forms. Wire EDM machines use a thin wire to cut with electricity, with the wire advancing into the hard metal part as if it was a slow-motion saw blade. By contrast, ram EDM machines, which are also called “die sinkers,” use electrodes that are custom machined into 3D shapes. The EDM process then produces a cavity in the part that is the opposite or female version of the “male” electrode form. Similar to the ram EDM machine is the small-hole EDM machine, or “hole popper.” On this machine, the electrode is a cylinder used to machine a hole. Often these machines are used simply to provide starter holes for wire EDM, but the technology may also be used to machine finished holes in materials that are too difficult to drill.