1 Schematic representation of the basic working principle of EDM process. Figure 1:1 The Three EDM Processes 1 Wire EDM Courtesy Agie Ram EDM Small Hole EDM Drilling. As workpiece materials become harder to machine by conventional methods or the detail size becomes small with higher L:D (length to diameter) ratios, Wire EDM becomes a more attractive method of machining. Just like any chip, they need to be removed from the cutting zone, which is accomplished by flowing the dielectric fluid through the sparking gap. Commonly called a “hole popper” this machine uses a rotating conductive tube for its electrode and a continuous flow of dielectric fluid (usually deionized water) to flush the cut. The workpiece must be electrically conductive. THE BASICS OF HIGH-SPEED EDM HOLE DRILLING. This format is identical to that found in Milling (G90, G91, G00, G01, G02, G03). Wire EDM has some built-in limitations and machine variables that make it challenging to automate, which is why robotic automation has never been a common trend with this technology. “We have done some things with our Mitsubishi six-axis robots, which don’t have a lot of weight capacity,” he added, “but we have had some applications with smaller parts where the robots were able to pick the parts and place them in a fixture on a machine that had its own clamping mechanism.”, “A lot of milling applications don’t need stainless steel, hardened tooling to hold the workpieces, because you’re running a water-soluble coolant on the machine,” he said. 22 nd December 2015, 14:30 Hr s. gg p, Wh t i EDM Wh. “Over the years, sinkers have become less and less utilized because of high-speed hard milling. Options are provided to order the cuts when … We're working on a new The Wire EDM process is similar to a band saw that’s used to cut wood, metal or plastic. Save this seller. “All of a sudden, they realize that can cut strippers, knockouts, die buttons, inserts, slides, all kinds of parts. Wire EDM machines use a small, traveling wire electrode to machine complex shapes, which are always through cavities (the wire must pass completely through the workpiece). Some are obvious, such as degree of metal removal and electrode wear, while others are much more subtle. p, DMRL. Some of it is conductive enough that you can cut it a little bit, but not very well.”. Some of these are the same bottlenecks the arise for other machining processes, as Pfluger explained. WEDM Dielectric Basics P rior to plunging into the details of deionizing resin and regeneration, let’s first examine the role of the deionized water dielectric in a Wire EDM. Many high-end machines are capable of achieving finer surface finishes down to 4µinRa (0.100µmRa) or finer and can produce accuracies at or below 1 micron (0.00004” or 0.001mm). Creating wire EDM features. The wire moves in a carefully controlled pattern, roughly analogous to a woodworker’s scroll saw, causing sparking to occur between the wire and the workpiece. DURATION: NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: EXPERIENCE LEVEL: REQUIREMENTS: 3 days: 4: Beginner: Basic mechanical skills: This training is for the following machines series: CUT E, CUT P, CUT P Pro, CUT X 000. ), Cabin brackets for the Airbus A350 XWB with support structure. Parts can be bolted directly on the outer perimeter work table, but the feature requiring machining must be suspended out into the working stroke area. The basic Wire EDM today offers 4- or 5-axis (X, Y, U, V & Z) positioning capability in order to perform complex taper or three-dimensional machining. Moreover, while EDM is technically a stress-free machining process—since no direct mechanical force is applied to the workpiece), it’s still a thermal process and so has the potential to alter the metallurgy of the workpiece via heat affected zones (HAZs), recasts and micro-cracking. “I’ve been asked to cut silicon wafer material, which is almost glass-like,” said Greg Langenhorst, Technical Marketing Manager at MC Machinery. Copyright © 2020 EDM Club. The vast majority of Wire EDM parts are cut straight, but some may include tapers and varying angles. All newer machines operate fully submerged under a filtered water dielectric fluid, and high-pressure flushing is … EDM 101: Electrical Discharge Machining Basics, potentially replace so-called subtractive processes, The What, Why and How of 5-Axis CNC Machining, An Engineer’s Guide to CNC Turning Centers, An Introduction to Interferometers for Highly Accurate Engineering Measurements, An Introduction to Advanced Composite Fabrication, Optimizing Machining and Workholding for Metal Additive Manufacturing, How Traditional Machine Tool Alignment Processes Compare to Laser Calibration, Controlling the spacing of the sparking gap between the electrode and workpiece, Cooling the heated material to form the EDM chips, Removing EDM chips from the sparking area. The wire is thin and taut. for stamping and plastic injection tooling. The consumed wire spools are purchased on pre-wound reels that can vary in capacity, but 11- and 22-pound spools are the most common. The workpiece setup in a Wire EDM requires that the part be suspended out within the confines of the work zone. The most popular machine size provide a 14” x 10” X/Y stroke with an 8”~10” Z-stroke capacity, and support part weights in the range of 1,000~1,500 lbs. Choosing the right dielectric fluid for your EDM application is not always as straightforward as it might seem. “With wire EDM, you’re working in deionized water, so unless it’s made from 420 stainless steel or something like that, a robot’s not going to last very long.”. Wire Kerf The wire never contacts the workpiece. For example, if you’re doing core pins for molds and you try to grind them, they’ll move all over the place. Wire EDM, which may also be called wire-cut EDM, is a relatively new technology first developed in the 1960s for NC (Numerically Controlled) machines. EDM Drilling machines, which are commonly referred to as EDM hole poppers or small-hole EDM, create small diameter holes in parts faster than conventional mechanical drilling and will achieve higher L:D (length to diameter) depth ratios. Wire EDM machines are capable of operating with a range of different wire diameter sizes. Pfluger pointed out another advantage to using electrical discharge machining for parts with small or complex features: “The EDM process becomes more attractive as workpiece materials become harder, and as the part geometry becomes smaller and deeper,” he said. Electrical discharge machining ( EDM ), also known as spark machining, spark eroding, die sinking, wire burning or wire erosion, is a metal fabrication process whereby a desired shape is obtained by using electrical discharges (sparks). Similarly, there’s typically more than one way to cut parts. Both the wire and workpiece sit beneath a layer of dielectric fluid. However, the solutions to the material issues in these cases lie in variations of electrode materials and slower EDM cycle times. Harding, an electrical engineer, proposed using sparks to erode them away. This adds time, cost and can alter the finished parts’ dimensions, especially if the heat treatment process is not properly controlled. Machines are capable of cutting and re-threading the wire automatically, which greatly extends unattended machining time. High-speed EDM hole drilling was designed especially for fast, accurate small- and deep-hole drilling applications. All machining is performed submerged under a special dielectric oil. I’ve even run into that when someone buys cheap tool steel. process. (Image courtesy of, Robotic cell for producing graphite electrodes. However, if particle suspension is too high, these impurities will not separate from the fluid during filtration. Control of the wire’s movement in an XY plane on modern-day machines is similar to other CNC-driven technologies. Wire EDM utilizes, as the name indicates, a wire to discharge the electric current sent into the electrically conductive metal workpiece. 9 followers edm_basics8 (18 edm_basics8's feedback score is 18) 100.0% edm_basics8 has 100% Positive Feedback. There is a hidden recycling bonus at the end to where the spent brass wire can be sold to a local scrap metal recycler. “All EDM machining is performed unattended, so the direct labor rate and manufacturing cost are typically lower for EDM than other methods,” said Pfluger. A Basic 4 or 5 Axis Wire EDM Machine. Due to the constant and continual renewal of the wire electrode, achieved level of precision is maintained. This “cheese cutter” approach to EDM works well, but it has an important limitation: the wire must pass entirely through the workpiece, making an essentially two-dimensional cut in a three-dimensional part. Machines are capable of cutting and re-threading the wire automatically, which greatly extends unattended machining time. Like a chain being only as strong as its weakest link, Wire EDM machines are only reliable as the amount of maintenance that is performed. The process of automating one or more EDM machines is similar to that of other conventional machine tools. “It’s very common to automate a VMC mill with a sinker EDM so the mill can produce the needed electrode tool with a robot automatically moving it between the different machines,” said Pfluger. All. The amount and type of required machine maintenance and consumable wear items can vary greatly between the different Wire EDM OEMs and should be an evaluation factor when looking at new equipment. Process Fig. Changing the wire size provides one of two benefits. This tutorial introduces you to the basics of creating wire EDM toolpaths. As the name implies, wire EDM uses a thin wire for an electrode. What Is the Best Type of Coated/Stratified Wire to Use. Stark, Harding and Beaver continued to refine their process, which eventually became the basis for the vacuum-tube EDM, which made it possible to increase spark frequency from 60 times per second to well over 1,000. For example, particle suspension is a key property for machining efficiency, since the fluid needs to be able to remove EDM chips and other waste particles from the cutting zone. Wire cut EDM (or WCEDM) discharges the electrified current by means of a taut thin wire, which acts as the cathode and is guided alongside the desired cutting path, or kerf. North American EDM Supplies - Your international source for EDM consumables, With the care and concern of a friend. If you’ve enjoyed this third lesson in our 6-part Back to Basics series, be sure to stay tuned for future segments as we reflect on our industry and celebrate the building blocks that have led us to the fascinating EDM advancements that we encounter each day. “The goal is to ensure flawless, unattended machine operation over long hours, as this is where the process gains its productivity and lower manufacturing costs.”. Normal electrode sizes can range from under 1.0” square to 6.0” square, but can be larger. ), EDM accessories and consumables (Image courtesy of MC Machinery.). A long, thin copper or brass alloy wire rolled on spools replaces the saw blade to remove material. experience for engineering.com stories! High frequency pulses of alternating or direct current is discharged from the wire to the workpiece with a very small spark gap through an insulated dielectric fluid (water). 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