Conventional EDM uses a tool to
disperse the electric current. This tool, the cathode, runs along the metal
piece, the anode, and the electrical current reacts to melt or vaporize the
metal. As a result of the dielectric fluid, the little debris produced washes
away from the piece. Wire cut EDM (or WCEDM) discharges the electrified current
by means of a thin wire, which acts as the cathode and is guided alongside the
desired cutting path, or kerf. A dielectric fluid submerges the wire and work
piece, filtering and directing the sparks. The thin wire allows precision cuts,
with kerfs as wide as three inches and a positioning accuracy of +/- 0.0002”.
This heightened precision allows for complex, three dimensional cuts, and
produces highly accurate punches, dies, and stripper plates.
Wire cut EDM equipment is run by
computer numerically controlled (CNC) instruments, which can control the wire
on a three-dimensional axis to provide greater flexibility, whereas
conventional EDM cannot always produce tight corners or very intricate
patterns. Wire EDM’s increased precision allows for intricate patterns and
cuts.
Additionally, wire EDM is able to
cut metals as thin as 0.004”. At a certain thickness, wire EDM will simply
cause the metal to evaporate, thereby eliminating potential debris. The wire of
a WCEDM unit emits sparks on all sides, which means the cut must be thicker
than the wire itself. In other words, because the wire is surrounded by a ring
of current, the smallest and most precise cutting path possible is the added
diameter of the ring and wire; technicians easily account for this added
dimension.
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