A Wire EDM System removes material by controlled sparking rather than by cutting force, which is what makes it possible to machine hardened steel and carbide after heat treatment. The Wire EDM System described here is built with chiller-controlled dielectric filtration and specified for tool and die shops. wire electrical discharge cutting with skim passes for finish and taper sits behind the numbers below, which are stated as delivered rather than as a best case.
The parts that matter most are the interfaces: bores, sealing faces, threads and mounting patterns. Those are held to ±0.005 mm, verified against the drawing, and recorded before anything is packed.
Specification
| Process | Wire electrical discharge cutting with skim passes for finish and taper |
|---|---|
| Material / configuration | chiller-controlled dielectric filtration |
| Size / capacity | taper up to 30° per 100 mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm |
| Surface finish | wire-cut finish, Ra 0.2–1.6 µm |
| Application | wire edm system for tool and die shops |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, first article report on request |
| Lead time | 7–15 working days for samples, 3–4 weeks for production |
| Minimum order | 1 piece for prototypes, from 50 pieces for production pricing |
Manufacturing process
The operation sequence is decided before the first chip is cut: roughing to leave even stock, semi-finishing, then wire electrical discharge cutting with skim passes for finish and taper as the final operation. That order is what keeps ±0.005 mm stable as the batch runs and the machine warms up.
Material is purchased against a certificate and checked on receipt, so the composition is known before any cutting starts. Work in progress is identified by part number and operation, and the finished parts are deburred, cleaned and protected before they leave the machine area.
Typical applications
Most of the work supplied in this category falls into the following examples.
- Hardened mould inserts and die sections.
- Carbide punch and die profiles.
- Aerospace turbine slot features.
- Medical cutting instruments.
- Gear and spline prototypes.
Quality control and documentation
Every batch is measured against the drawing with calibrated equipment, and results are recorded against the part number rather than kept on a scrap of paper.
Material certificates to EN 10204 3.1, dimensional reports and first article inspection reports are issued with the shipment where the application requires them. Calibration dates and measurement uncertainty are recorded alongside every result.
Ordering, lead time and packaging
Quotations are returned within one working day of a complete drawing package. Lead time is quoted from drawing approval, not from the date of enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is wire EDM compared with milling?
Wire EDM holds profile accuracy around ±0.005 mm with no cutting force on the part, and it produces internal corners limited only by the wire radius, typically 0.15 mm.
Can hardened material be machined directly?
Yes. Material at 60 HRC and above is routinely cut after heat treatment, which removes the distortion that would otherwise be introduced by hardening after machining.
What is the minimum order quantity?
One piece for prototypes and first article work. Production pricing usually starts at 50 pieces, and repeat orders run on fixtures retained from the first batch at no extra charge.
To discuss wire edm system requirements, send the model and the drawing with the quantities required. Feedback on manufacturability is given free of charge before any order is placed.
