Wire Cut EDM Machines. All newer machines operate fully submerged under a filtered water dielectric fluid, and high-pressure flushing is used to remove debris from the spark gap area. Courtesy Agie Figure 5:1 Precision Wire EDMing Understanding the Wire 5 EDM Process. Many sparks can … Fundamentals and Principles of EDM Srinivasa Rao Nandam, Sc ‐ ’E’ , Mechanical En. We're working on a new Wire EDM (Vertical EDM's kid brother), is not the new kid on the block. of wire per hour running 0.010” Ø. “Depending on the complexity of the attachment layer, it can be a pain to separate them. This necessary time can be kept to a minimum with proper investment in workholding tooling that provides faster and more precise setups.”, “The bottleneck for sinkers is electrode manufacturing: if you don’t have a graphite mill in-house, then you’re going to have to outsource your electrodes and the more complicated the shape, the longer the lead time,” said Langenhorst. Oil is used as a dielectric due to the higher power levels achieved by the larger sized electrodes. The most common type of processing performed on Wire EDMs is 1-, 2- or 3-pass machining. You learn . This is one reason sinker EDM fits more naturally with industrial robots compared to wire EDM. The vast majority of Wire EDM parts are cut straight, but some may include tapers and varying angles. Heterogenous materials, especially those with impurities, can also present a problem for EDM, as Langenhorst explained: “With carbon fiber composites, even though they are electrically conductive, the adhesives in them create some problems because they’re non-conductive. Save this seller. “If you tried to mill them, have you to have it held tight enough that your machining process won’t pick it up or bend it. “Generally, workpieces are mounted on a pallet system and the automation changes the pallets in and out of a chuck on the machine,” said Langenhorst. Options are provided to order the cuts when … Some machines can also utilize CMM-style probe systems to find start locations and for 3D part leveling. However, the solutions to the material issues in these cases lie in variations of electrode materials and slower EDM cycle times. There is a hidden recycling bonus at the end to where the spent brass wire can be sold to a local scrap metal recycler. The idea showed promise, but it wasn’t until water was added as a coolant that this approach became practical. Of course, some electrically conductive materials still don’t play well with EDM. 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. Wire Kerf The wire never contacts the workpiece. Differences are found in the M-code commands, as Wire EDMs have many specialty M-codes that are specific to Wire EDM operations, such as threading and cutting of the wire. The U/V axis strokes also determine what the maximum taper angle at a specific workpiece thickness can be machined. 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. These tiny, hollow spheroids are composed of material from both the electrode as well as the workpiece. The workpiece setup in a Wire EDM requires that the part be suspended out within the confines of the work zone. 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. While there are many specialized forms of electrical discharge machining, industrial EDM machines are commonly grouped into three categories: All three types operate on the same principal of erosion by electrical discharge discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1770, but their history, methods and applications are notably different. At nearly the same time, an American engineering team—consisting of Harold Stark, Victor Harding and Jack Beaver—was working on a way to remove broken drills and taps. 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. This tutorial introduces you to the basics of creating wire EDM toolpaths. Die-sinker EDM machines typically use hydrocarbon oil for their dielectric fluid, into which both the workpiece and spark are immersed. What Is the Best Type of Coated/Stratified Wire to Use. Choosing the right dielectric fluid for your EDM application is not always as straightforward as it might seem. Some of it is conductive enough that you can cut it a little bit, but not very well.”. As the dielectric fluid breaks down—whether as the result of age or contamination—the risk of unstable discharge increases. As the name implies, wire EDM uses a thin wire for an electrode. 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. The maximum part size that can be machined by Wire EDM is dictated by the capacity of the X/Y/Z strokes, the size of the work tank, and the weight capacity specifications of a particular machine. “The fundamental difference is that wire EDM maintenance MUST be performed as a proactive and preventative measure,” 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). For example, EDM is typically slower than other machining methods, but it also tends to be more predictable, accurate and repeatable. This can include disassembly and cleaning of many components and re-calibration of the machine before being put back into production. All machining is performed submerged under a special dielectric oil. Only by producing components in-house is it possible to tailor them perfectly to the intended task. Most Wire EDM machines contain 5 axes, but only 4-axis simultaneous machining is possible (Z-Axis remains stationary during machining). process. “Workholding and the required machine setup time are often a bottleneck for many shops. The machine axis layout consists of a typical X/Y/Z configuration, but there is also a U/V axis that is parallel and stacked on top of the X/Y axis. Wire EDM machines are capable of operating with a range of different wire diameter sizes. Both the wire and workpiece sit beneath a layer of dielectric fluid. 1 shows schematically the basic working principle of EDM process. Obviously, it takes a submerged machine to do that, and in some cases you get this honeycomb structure between the workpiece and the baseplate that acts as a heatsink; if you don’t build that just right, it can trap powder, which really raises hell on the controls for an adaptive wire EDM machine.”, Pfluger agreed, adding that “Sinker EDM is also commonly used to finish certain features on additively manufactured components, such as small features that require high accuracy and finer surface finishes than what can be produced by additive manufacturing.”. The most common size range is from 0.004” to 0.012” Ø (0.100~0.300mm), and the most widely used wire size is 0.010”Ø (0.250mm), but there are some machines that are capable of operating with wires as small as 0.0006”Ø (0.015mm). EDM-WIRE Basic Training. Wire EDM is often used with simple shapes and easily machined materials. Copyright © 2021 engineering.com, Inc. All rights reserved. As it exists today, die sinker EDM is used to create complex cavity shapes in tool and die applications, such as metal stamping dies and plastic injection molds. Wire EDM utilizes, as the name indicates, a wire to discharge the electric current sent into the electrically conductive metal workpiece. Often presented under the banner of Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution, the conjunction of various technologies, including robotics, artificial intelligence and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)—will forever change the manufacturing sector, from machine tools to quality assurance. Simulating wire EDM toolpaths The 2.5 Axis and 4 Axis cutting operations automate the creation of rough, skim and tab cuts. Control of the wire’s movement in an XY plane on modern-day machines is similar to other CNC-driven technologies. You can wire cut those with just a 90-degree flip fixture and they come out great.”. North American EDM Supplies - Your international source for EDM consumables, With the care and concern of a friend. 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). But the experts agree that more customers are inquiring about ways to automate the process. The more conductive particles in the fluid, the more difficult it is for the machine to maintain stable electrical thresholds inside the sparking gap. That’s where sinker EDM is a must.”, The principle advantages of EDM are that the process is very predictable, accurate and repeatable. 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. ), EDM accessories and consumables (Image courtesy of MC Machinery.). Wire EDM is commonly seen today in high- or short-run production applications, such as parts for the medical and aerospace industries. 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. (Image courtesy of, (Left) Side-clamp vise. “All of a sudden, they realize that can cut strippers, knockouts, die buttons, inserts, slides, all kinds of parts. This electrode is then carefully plunged into the workpiece, causing sparking over its surface as features close the sparking gap—the distance required for sparking. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” as the old expression goes. All. Wire EDM cutting uses rapid, controlled, repetitive spark discharges from the wire to the workpiece, thereby eroding the metal away. (Image courtesy of Makino. “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.”. The wire consumption unspool speed on Makino’ Wire EDM’s is set to a constant low rate where optimal machining speeds can be maintained without the wire breaking. "We are seeing more and more EDM cells with specialized automation," said Raucci. Compared with conventional machining—from basic CNC turning all the way up to 5-axis—EDM has certain advantages and disadvantages. The Wire EDM process is similar to a band saw that’s used to cut wood, metal or plastic. Wire EDM machines are capable of operating with a range of different wire diameter sizes. “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. “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. 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. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our With sinker EDM, you can automate the machining electrode tool as well as the workpiece. For one, certain materials, such as high-nickel alloys—like those found in the aerospace industry—and carbide materials can present a greater challenge for EDM compared to standard tool steels. Most machines support taper angles up to 15 degrees, but there are special wire guides that allow angles up to 45 degrees. EDM can be used to machine difficult geometries in small batches or even on job-shop basis. Best Match; Time: ending soonest. The most efficient method for Wire EDM programming is using a dedicated software module designed for Wire EDM operations, as this will provide many helpful and time-saving processing tools for Wire EDM that cannot be performed using software designed for milling. Changing the wire size provides one of two benefits. Creating wire EDM features. Control electronics can compensate to a certain extent, but the only real solution is to continually pump clean dielectric fluid through the cutting zone to flush it. There is a physical limit to how much power can be applied to and sustained by any given wire size before the wire (think of it as a small filament) melts, breaks, or fractures. So, if you’re wondering whether EDM is the best bet for your particular application, the answer is always the same: it depends on your application. These processing values are strictly for general expectations and guidelines, and can vary by application and by machine. High-speed EDM hole drilling was designed especially for fast, accurate small- and deep-hole drilling applications. 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. 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. A Basic 4 or 5 Axis Wire EDM Machine. 1 Schematic representation of the basic working principle of EDM process. 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). The biggest expense in operating a Wire EDM is the spent wire. We will be examining the three basic EDM processes: wire EDM, ram EDM, and small hole EDM drilling. However, if particle suspension is too high, these impurities will not separate from the fluid during filtration. (Right) Top-Clamp Vise. Most modern machines are capable of achieving accuracies in the range of ±0.0002” (±0.005mm), but high accuracy machine models are available that are provide finer tolerances. “In general, the EDM process is reserved for parts with smaller feature sizes and higher accuracy requirements (+/- 0.0005” or +/--0.012mm or finer accuracy).”, “Once you have a wire EDM in your shop, it becomes very obvious that you can do a lot more with it than just what you bought it for,” said Langenhorst. 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). Process Fig. Harding, an electrical engineer, proposed using sparks to erode them away. That’s where the similarity with conventional machining ends, however, because in EDM processing, the wire never touches the workpiece. Wire threading..... 25 Dialogue-assisted navigation..... 27 Professional mode ... to high-performance EDM machines from world market leader Mitsubishi Electric. 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. The Most Effective Methods for Holding and Retaining Slugs. 2. (Image courtesy of, Robotic cell for producing graphite electrodes. In general, the EDM process is reserved for smaller part feature sizes and higher accuracy requirement applications (+/- 0.0005” or +/- 0.012mm or finer accuracy).”, Moreover, since EDM is a non-contact machining process, the fixturing requirements for cutting small parts are considerably less onerous compared to those of a standard CNC mill. “The biggest thing with metal additive manufacturing is that you have to build on a base plate and then separate the part from that,” he said. Many machines today have improved and reduced the amount of wire consumption, and the more efficient machines consume 0.5~0.6 lbs. The die sinker process begins with machining a graphite electrode to form a “positive” of the desired cavity. (It should be noted that Langenhorst did point out that you can use wire EDM to cut shims by stacking the stock, sandwiching it between two pieces of quarter-inch steel, and cutting off a stack.) From a maintenance standpoint, the key difference with Wire EDM Maintenance is that it is performed as a proactive and preventive measure before the machine encounters a failure. (Image courtesy of, GF Machining Solutions AgieCharmilles Die Sink EDM. Some of these are the same bottlenecks the arise for other machining processes, as Pfluger explained. 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. “Unlike conventional milling, EDM does not encounter limitations with L:D as internal radii features become smaller and workpiece thickness increases. The most common size range is from 0.004” to 0.012” Ø (0.100~0.300mm), and the most widely used wire size is 0.010”Ø (0.250mm), but there are some machines that are capable of operating with wires as small as 0.0006”Ø (0.015mm). Wire EDM Basics. The process of automating one or more EDM machines is similar to that of other conventional machine tools. 22 nd December 2015, 14:30 Hr s. gg p, Wh t i EDM Wh. Anything beyond 1 Pass (rough cut) machining is referred to as a skim or trim cut, and each consecutive pass improves both part accuracy and surface finish. Learn the main functionalities to perform with the EDM Wire technology. The resulting spark discharge erodes the workpiece to form a desired final shape. I’ve even run into that when someone buys cheap tool steel. “Newer machines are getting better as far as electrode wear goes, but to get high detail on a finished part with a sinker, you generally need at least two electrodes: a rougher and a finisher. The areas you can’t do with hard milling are sharp inside corners or very deep, thin ribs. As that process improved, there’s less sinker cavity work that needs to be done. (Image courtesy of Makino. Second, a larger diameter wire will provide faster roughing machining speeds, as the larger cross-section of the wire will allow and withstand higher EDM discharge energy without breaking. Originally used for making dies from very hard steel, today it is used for hard and soft materials and is often used because of its ability to create a complex shape with relative ease compared to other types of machining options. “We’re even trying to figure out how to create a less-expensive wire EDM machine to be used specifically for separating additively built workpieces from their baseplates, so basically an electric bandsaw,” Langenhorst added. This permits a “film cooling” process, which allows jet engines to operate at higher temperatures for greater durability and efficiency. It was introduced in the late 1960s', and has revolutionized the tool and die, mold, and metalworking industries. Wire EDMs require an NC G-code program for the shaped geometry. Wire EDM cutting, also known as electrical discharge machining, is a process that uses an electrically energized thin wire to slice through metal. All newer machines operate fully submerged under a filtered water dielectric fluid, and high-pressure flushing is … This adds time, cost and can alter the finished parts’ dimensions, especially if the heat treatment process is not properly controlled. 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. Once it’s been used, the wire is no longer perfectly round. The wire travels through the workpiece (where EDM machining occurs) being guided by two precision alignment wire guides and is then routed into a collection basket in the rear of the machine. Anyone who’s been paying attention to manufacturing technology over the last decade or so knows there are some big changes coming. Then the final workpiece origin is set by using a canned pick-up cycle in the machine that uses the wire with touch sensing to find part centers or edges. 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