Wire Cutting

Advantages: Wire EDM is a precise cutting process that can be used to cut difficult profiles with tight tolerances, and even small-sized workpieces that cannot be cut by traditional machining processes. It can easily cut soft metals such as brass and copper, brittle materials such as graphite, and hard materials such as cemented carbide and Inconel. Wire EDM can cut workpieces with a height of up to 300mm or a weight of up to 1000 kilograms. It can be used to cut sharp corners (with negligible radius) without leaving burrs or tool marks. The electrode is a simple wire in the Wire EDM machine, so the tool cost is relatively low.Disadvantages and Limitations: Wire EDM can only be used to cut conductive materials. The cutting speed or material removal rate of Wire EDM is low and uneconomical, so it is often used for machining very hard materials or difficult-to-machine profiles. Wire EDM may leave a recast layer on the workpiece surface, which requires secondary operations such as polishing to remove. Wire breakage is a problem in Wire EDM, resulting in loss of time and some wire material. The wire (electrode) in Wire EDM cannot be reused and is discarded after one use, which increases costs.

Yes, Wire EDM machines can cut titanium alloys. Zinc-coated brass cutting wire (electrode) can be used to achieve better speed and surface finish. In addition, wire breakage can be an issue during the cutting process, which can be minimized by adjusting the current value and the length of the "pulse off-time".

Wire EDM is very practical for machining hard and brittle materials, such as tool steel, hardened tool steel, cemented carbide, Inconel, and other materials that are difficult to machine using traditional methods. It is also used for machining parts with complex contours in the aerospace or medical industries.In addition to these, Wire EDM can also be used to cut any conductive material, including copper, brass, aluminum, Hastelloy, etc.