Electrical discharge machining is a method primarily used in the processing of industrial parts, allowing them to be given complex shapes. The most commonly used processing methods using electrical erosion include wire electrical discharge machining and sinker. Check out their characteristics and differences, as well as their applications.
What is electrical discharge machining?
Before we move on to explaining the differences between sink and wire EDM, let's explain what EDM is in the first place. It is an electrical discharge machining method that is based on the phenomenon of electrical erosion. It involves removing material from the workpiece as a result of electrical erosion, which occurs during a series of electrical discharges between the working electrode and the workpiece.
This technique is used to achieve complex and accurate details. It allows for precise shaping of metal objects according to pre-planned designs. EDM machining is particularly effective for hard materials and those difficult to process. This method of processing is divided into sinker and wire EDM. What characterizes these two methods?
What is sinker EDM?
Deep hole drilling is a method used during the processing of parts that need to be made with exceptional precision. Usually, these items are made of hard-to-cut materials, and as a result, they are resistant to other types of processing. This method can be applied even on surfaces intersecting at a sharp angle. This technology was developed with the processing of hard-to-reach surfaces in mind. The processing is possible thanks to the use of a special metal electrode.
Deep hole electrical discharge machining allows for the creation of recesses with very complex shapes, such as keyway grooves. This technique is particularly effective when working with hard conductive materials, such as hardened steel or sintered carbides. It enables the production of highly precise and highly repeatable components. It can be combined with the CNC method. Deep hole electrical discharge machining CNC uses numerical devices, making it a fully automated process. This results in machining characterized by even better parameters in terms of repeatability, speed, and precision.
What characterizes wire electrical discharge machining?
Wire electrical discharge machining is a method in which a wire electrode is used. This element is very thin - its diameter is less than 0.5 mm. Thanks to this, this machining is characterized by a very high level of accuracy. The wire electrode is usually made of copper.
Wire cutting of metal allows for the creation of dies, molds, injection molds, and other elements that require perfect execution according to the project. It is suitable for developing and shaping hard-to-machine materials. It can be used with materials that conduct electrical energy, such as sintered carbides, hardened steel, and high-speed steel.
Wire and sinker EDM - basic differences
Both wire EDM and sinker EDM are very popular, commonly used machining methods using electrical discharge machining technology. The main difference between them is primarily the type of electrode used and their application.
The wire method is used for cutting and carving complex parts. The sinker technology, on the other hand, allows for the machining of complex shapes, including concave ones. Wire EDM process uses wire electrodes, which allow for cutting materials of high hardness. In the sinker method, graphite or copper electrodes are usually used.
Application of EDM methods
The ability to carefully and accurately process hard-to-reach elements makes electrical discharge machining widely used in the medical, aviation, energy, automotive, and heavy industries. It works wherever precise processing of complex parts and fragments is necessary. This method is also suitable for creating gears, dies, injection molds, and tool regeneration.
Wire electrical discharge machining is usually used for the production of cutting or machining tools. On the other hand, the sinker method is most often used in the sector specializing in the production of parts for machinery parks or other complex equipment.
Electrical discharge machining is typically used in the industry in places and situations where precise cutting of elements cannot be achieved by other machining methods. For this reason, it is used in the machining of polycrystalline diamonds or sintered carbides.
The technique of electro-discharge machining is quite a long and complicated process. For this reason, many sectors and branches of industry still commonly use other, traditional methods of machining or metalworking, however, they often do not yield such perfect results as electro-discharge machining.