pic: 294 - This is How we cut (wire EDM)

[DonRotolo]

Think of it as a very small wire, and sparks are made to jump from the tip of thr wire to whatever metal workpiece you want to shape. The sparks vaporize a tiny amount of the metal workpiece, and if you do it often enough you spark a hole into the workpiece. Now, control the spark and wire tip position very precisely, and you can shape some really complex shapes. Unlike a waterjet, you don't have to cut all the way through.

EDM - Electical Discharge Machining.

Don

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

Think of it as a very small wire, and sparks are made to jump from the tip of thr wire to whatever metal workpiece you want to shape. The sparks vaporize a tiny amount of the metal workpiece, and if you do it often enough you spark a hole into the workpiece. Now, control the spark and wire tip position very precisely, and you can shape some really complex shapes. Unlike a waterjet, you don't have to cut all the way through.

EDM - Electical Discharge Machining.

Don

Well... for the machines we have that is halfway correct.

We have a wire EDM which has a wire that goes through the part and cuts profiles.

The other is called a "Sinker" (I think) which as a shaped electrode (like a hex shaft) that when pushed into the piece, takes of .003 at a time. This doesn't have to go all the way through.