What is Submersible Wire EDM?
Submersible Wire EDM, Explained
Submersible wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a specialized form of wire EDM used for cutting complex shapes and intricate patterns in hard materials. During this process, a wire electrode cuts the workpiece while submerged in dielectric fluid. The fluid helps to cool the wire and workpiece, flush away debris, and prevent sparking between the wire and workpiece.
Submersible wire EDM is especially useful for cutting high-precision parts with tight tolerances, such as those found in the aerospace, medical, and electronics sectors. As it’s a highly precise and versatile cutting method, submersible wire EDM is ideal for cutting complex shapes in hard materials such as tungsten, carbide, and titanium. Here, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages of this machining process and help you determine if it’s right for your operation.
Advantages of Submersible Wire EDM
Creates Precise Cuts and Tight Tolerances
This kind of machining has several advantages over other machining processes. For example, it can produce extremely precise cuts with tight tolerances. This is because the wire electrode used in the process is incredibly thin, clocking in at less than 0.1mm in diameter. As such, this kind of machining is a popular choice for manufacturing parts that require high accuracy and consistency.
Perfect for Hard Materials
Submersible wire EDM is also able to cut through hard materials that other machining processes might struggle with. The dielectric fluid allows for the heat generated during the cutting process to dissipate, preventing damage to both the wire electrode and the workpiece. This makes submersible wire EDM an effective choice for machining parts that require high hardness and durability.
Reduces Stress on the Part or Tooling
During the cutting process, the wire never touches the workpiece, which means it doesn’t introduce any stresses into the part. This can help your part or tooling last longer, and may reduce the need for secondary strengthening processes.
Produces a High-Quality Finish
This kind of manufacturing process creates smooth surfaces without burrs. A smooth surface can reduce the amount of secondary finishing operations needed, which can help your bottom line.
Creates Delicate Parts
For parts or tooling that need extremely intricate shapes, this kind of machining is the best option. It can be used to build thin eyelets and through-slots for delicate parts like those found in medical devices, along with parts and tooling for other precise industries.
Disadvantages of Submersible Wire EDM
Cannot Machine All Types of Materials
Submersible wire EDM is only compatible with conductive materials, meaning it cannot be used for machining composite or dielectric materials.
May Create Unwanted Oxide
Though it doesn’t always happen, it can create a layer of oxide on the surface of the cut on certain materials. The oxide must then be cleaned thoroughly before the part can go to its next destination.
Work with Pivot Precision for Your Tooling Needs
With over 60 years of experience, we are one of the top providers of quality tooling for a wide range of industries. As an ISO 9001:2015 certified supplier of highly specified tooling, we are uniquely positioned to understand your needs and create the best product for your specific application. We regularly work with the automotive, medical, ammunition, and firearm sectors, but we are also equipped to work in other industries, as well.
No matter your need, our team will work hard to provide you with an optimal solution. Our workforce sustains our culture of meeting challenging specifications, delivering the highest quality and maintaining customer satisfaction standards.
Our facility also has extensive manufacturing capabilities, which enable us to deliver shorter lead times on demanding specifications and high complexity parts. Located near Niagara Falls, we’re close to airports and interstates for quick delivery on international and U.S. shipments.
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