Often referred to as wire and spark erosion, EDM Electro Discharge Machining is a high precision process that enables very difficult to machine components to be produced. The electrical discharge cutting and material removal process - involves no contact and no loading on the part machined.
The EDM process can be used in several different situations:
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To cut extremely accurately complex shapes in components from 0.5 – 450mm thick, including taper cuts
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Produce holes in hard alloys as small as 0.3mm diameter
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Create 3D cavities within a component
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Improve a surface finish of a brazed or welded component up to 800mm in diameter.
Advantages
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Tolerances of +/- 0.005 can be achieved
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Material hardness does not effect process - Tungsten Carbide - Stellite - Hastelloy - Nitralloy - Waspaloy - Nimonic – Inconel all can be successfully machined by EDM
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Cutting complex shapes and thin walled configurations without distortion
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EDM is a no-contact and no-force process making it well suited for delicate or fragile parts that cannot take the stress of traditional machining
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The EDM process leaves no burrs
Disadvantages
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Only able to machine conductive materials
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More expensive process than conventional milling or turning
We can offer extremely fast turnaround and the process flexibility to ensure that EDM is used as a cost effective solution to suit particular production challenges, and conventional machining is used for less complex requirements.