How Wire EDM Works
How Wire EDM Works
A typical system consists of a CNC unit, a power supply with anti-electrolysis circuitry, a mechanism for automatic wire threading, a tank to contain the dielectric fluid, a chiller to keep the fluid at a steady temperature and a filtration system to keep the dielectric clean.
Wire EDM uses an electrically charged strand of wire fed from a reel and moved through upper and lower guides. The wire is energized as it passes across a power contact at the top and bottom. The distance between the guides can be adjusted to accommodate the thickness of the workpiece. A tightly controlled sequence of electrical discharges between the workpiece and the wire creates hundreds of thousands of sparks per second to remove the workpiece material. The heat of each electrical spark, estimated at around 15,000-21,000 ° F, melts away a microscopic bit of the workpiece material. The volume of metal removed during this short period of intense heat lasting 1 millionth of a second or less it is quite small, the frequency and multitude of sparks is an effective method to cut a narrow slot through very hard materials. The action of the spark may also remove material from the wire at the same
Submerging the wire and part in deionized water allows cutting debris to be flushed away. Splash flushing can be used when the part can not be fully submerged, but a bottom and top nozzle must be constantly directed at the wire to help wash away debris. Cutting occurs in a more easily controlled environment and the flushing nozzles need to be adjusted only once when machining submerged.
A CNC unit moves the machine in an X-Y plane and can position the upper guide independently in the U-V axis, giving the machine the ability to move all four axes (X, Y, U, V) simultaneously to cut tapers or shapes that transition from top to bottom. A programmable Z-axis enables workpieces with different thickness to be machined automatically.
- 3 Axis Vertical Machining Center
- 3 Axis Hard Line Vertical Machining Center
- 3 Axis 2 Linear One Hard Line Vertical Machining Center
- 3 Axis Linear One Line Vertical Machining Center
- Heat Treatment Vacuum Furnace
- Heat Treatment Oil Quenching Vacuum Furnace
- Heat Treatment Air Quenching Vacuum Furnace
