Advantages of EDM

(Advantages of EDM)

advantages of edm

Wire-cut electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an efficient and cost-effective processing method that utilizes metal wire to make precision cuts in many hardened and heat-treated materials. It is ideal for cutting geometrically complex components, aerospace gears, and high-precision actuation systems that require precise, repeatable dimensional accuracy in volume.

The process is based on a series of electrical discharges between two electrodes separated by a dielectric bath. As the gap between the two electrodes fills, an electric current is generated which decomposes the dielectric fluid and generates spark discharges.

One of the major advantages of edm is that it can process large workpieces with multiple layers simultaneously. This reduces both production costs and lead times.

It can also be used to cut fragile sections with minimal burrs and delamination. It is a great choice for medical device pins, probes and other solid small diameter metal parts that are needed in high volumes.

There are a few drawbacks to wire-cut EDM, however. It can only be used to repeatedly cut parts to lengths from 0.5″ (12mm) to 18.0″ (450mm) with high dimensional accuracy and does not perform well on short cuts, under 0.125″ (3.175 mm).

Another disadvantage of wire-cut EDM is that it does not produce quality cut end surface finishes. This can result in surface roughness that is often characterized as “craters of the moon”. In addition, it is not an economical or appropriate choice for very short cuts, such as under 0.020″ (0.5 mm). For these applications, a different method, such as our thin-wheel abrasive cutting, will deliver tight tolerance, burr-free results and a clean end cut without tube wall deformation.

(Advantages of EDM)