EDM stands for Electro Discharge Machining which is a precise engineering procedure which involves the usage of stranded wire to cut a workpiece, as it generates electrical sparks along with the workpiece and the wire and the electrical sparks generated are responsible for cutting the workpiece. It’s an affordable technique which is very accurate when it comes to parts of a thicker component.
A wire cutting machine can cut complicated shapes found in hard materials. The sparks can be regulated, and over the recent years, they have been utilizing water to ensure there is accuracy when it comes to cutting as well as dielectric deionized. The water serves as a coolant, thereby guaranteeing the metal elements only heat to the required temperatures and also get rid of any particles which may get on the path. This process commences along the workpiece edge or by making a hole to determine where it starts.
EDM process was invented in 1770 when the scientists realized electrical discharge could disintegrate metal.
EDM Wire Erosion pros:
-Hard materials do not influence the process
-Realization of complex cutting
-Wire erosion doesn’t cause burrs
-Any surface finish can be realized
-Drilling of holes is not hard
-It can tackle even tiny workpieces when compared to ancient tools which may lead to damage
-It ensures there is no contact involving the tools and the workpiece, which serves as a clear indication that fragile materials are machineable without causing breakages
– When using this kind of machinery, you can realize a very intricate detail
Cons
-The material used should be a good conductor of electricity
-It is very costly in comparison to CNC milling
Suitable materials
There are a variety of metals which can be applied to this process. Some of these metal electrodes include:
Brass
It is prone to wear and its mainly used for hole drilling.
Tellurium Copper
The rate of metal removal and wear are understandable.
Copper Tungsten
In most cases, it is used when copper safety is required. Nevertheless, this material is highly resistant to wear because it’s melting point is high.
Silver Tungsten
If you require a high level of conductivity offered by silver in addition to Tungsten resistance, then you should opt for silver Tungsten. This is a very costly option about Copper Tungsten and its only applicable to various applications.
Tungsten
This is a mere option and is mainly used where speed is not considered to be of much importance. Tungsten tends to be slower when compared to various metals. Utilizing a Tungsten is costlier.
Evaluation of Wire Erosion
In general, a wire erosion process uses a workpiece to create your product with relative ease, but without making contact in spite of how fragile or thin the workpiece is, it will not be damaged.
EDM wire erosion is an ideal option which is suitable for cutting hard materials which are complex to cut using traditional cutting tools. This method has been in use for several decades, and this outlines why its more used due to the many benefits it offers.