Wire Electrical Discharge Machining, or Wire-Cut EDM, a thin single strand metal wire is fed through the work material and is typically cutting while submerged in a tank of dielectric fluid or deionized water.

This dielectric fluid helps cool the work material during the process, and also flushes away the cut material.  The Wire EDM process uses electric current to cut conductive materials. This process leaves a smooth surface that does not require further finishing or polishing.

The EDM process is used to cut plates, make punches, tools, and dies from any conductive material including hard metals that are too difficult to machine by other methods,.

Metal allows, graphite, carbide and diamond are some of the materials cut by EDM Wire-cut technology. The wire is held between upper and lower diamond guides. The guides move on the (X-Y) axis and is controlled by a CNC. The upper guide can also move independently in the Z-U-V configurations giving the ability to cut tapered and transitioning shapes. It can also control axis movements.

This precision mobility gives the Wire-Cut EDM the ability to be programmed to cut very intricate and delicate shapes. Wire EDM is commonly used when low residual stresses are desired, and it has no added residual stress because it has no cutting forces. There is little change in the mechanical properties of a material in Wire-cut EDM due to its low residual stresses.

The cutting wire never comes in contact with the material, the cutting is due to the erosion that occurs when a spark forms between the cutting wire and raw material.

The typical Wire EDM process consists of several passes moving at various speeds.  The first passes are typically fast moving with lower accuracy to remove large amounts of material.

Skim passes retrace the cuts at much lower speeds and removing less material, but improving the surface quality and accuracy of the cut.  If complex cut outs are required, a pre-drilled hole through the raw material can be threaded with a Wire EDM, and then the machine can begin cutting from there.

Applications for Wire EDM include the creation of extrusion dies, blanking punches, and metal tool fabrication.  Wire EDM serves many industries making components for automotive, aerospace, medical, energy, industrial and micro manufacturing.  Wire EDMs are also found in numerous job shops across the country as they serve as an integral part of the parts creation process.