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CNC Processes

Electrical Discharge Machining

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  • Tight Tolerances
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Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Materials

A2 Tool Steel

Aluminum

Brass

Bronze

Cast Iron

Copper

Stainless Steel

Steel

Titanium

A2 Tool Steel

A2 Tool Steel has excellent wear resistance and toughness, commonly used to make fixtures, tools, tool holders, gauges, and punches.
Mill Lead Time:
As fast as 7 days
Finishing Options:
Media Blasting, Vibratory Tumbling, Black Oxide, Powdercoating
Download CNC Material Datasheet See Available Finishes

Hobbing vs Wire EDM vs Sinker EDM

Hobbing Wire EDM Sinker EDM
Tolerance level ISO grade 6 to 12 ISO grade 7 to 12 ISO grade 8 to 12
Part size Min: 1.0x1.0x0.3mm
Max :500x500x800mm
 Min: 3.0x3.0x0.3mm
Max: 300x300x200mm 		Min: 3.0x3.0x0.3mm
Max: 200x200x150mm
Top use cases External gears External gears, shafts with gears, helical gears Internal gears and features< which are not through hole, internal features requiring minimal fillets such as a hexagonal shaped cutouts in a part
Materials All materials All metals All metals
Minimum fillet radius n/a 0.05mm standard
0.01mm premium precision 		0.05mm standard
0.01mm premium precision
Lead time As fast as 12 days As fast as 7 days As fast as 7 days

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  • Tight tolerances
  • Instant pricing
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  • On-demand production updates
  • Wide range of materials and finishing options
  • Material certifications & certificates of conformity
  • Industry leading security standards
  • Free dimensional inspection reports
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About Electrical Discharge Machining

Unofactorys provides two variations of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), ideal for precision cutting of intricate features like deep pockets, gears, and holes with keyways. Additionally, EDM, being a non-contact machining technique, applies no cutting forces to the workpiece, making it exceptionally suitable for delicate structures.

Wire EDM

Wire EDM involves immersing a metal part in dielectric fluid, where an electrically charged wire is passed through the submerged metal component. The electrical current flowing through the wire generates sparks, effectively cutting through the material and shaping the component as desired. This method is particularly advantageous when there is sufficient clearance for the wire above and below the features of the part.

Sinker EDM

‍The initial step in Sinker EDM involves crafting an electrode to match the desired cutout shape. This electrode is then charged and immersed into dielectric fluid along with the metal component. Through the process, the charged electrode is plunged into the metal, creating sparks that erode the material, thus shaping the internal feature as intended.

While Sinker EDM proves effective for crafting intricate features like bevel gears, internal gears, spiral gears, and worm gears, it's worth noting that the method is relatively slow and costly, making it less favorable for all applications. Nonetheless, Sinker EDM excels in producing hard-to-reach angular internal features such as blind keyholes, which may be unachievable through alternative machining methods.

CNC Machining Design Resources

Electrical Discharge Machining FAQs

Technical FAQs

What kinds of gears can unofactorys manufacture with electrical discharge machining?

There are two types of EDM, each with their own gear manufacturing capabilities. Wire EDM can be used to manufacture both internal and external gears, as long as there is a through hole or area for the wire to pass through. Sinker EDM can also be used to machine internal and external gears, as well as gears with more complex geometry, like helical gears.

What materials can unofactorys cut with EDM?

Both wire and sinker EDM can only be used on materials that can conduct electricity, because the electrode needs to be able to wear away the material. This limits the EDM process to metals.

General FAQs

What is electrical discharge machining?

Electrical Discharge Machining, also known as EDM, is a non-contact machining procedure used to make parts where material is removed from a workpiece using electrical spark erosion. EDM is good for more delicate projects as it does not exert cutting forces on the workpiece.

What are the types of electrical discharge machining?

There are two main types of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) processes - wire EDM and sinker EDM, which are useful for cutting deep pockets and complex features such as gears and holes with a keyway.

What types of shapes can a wire EDM machine produce?

Wire EDM machines can handle jobs that can be too intricate or delicate for other methods of machining, such as internal fillets, corners, or other very small and complex parts.

What happens in the EDM process?

The EDM process consists of a metal part being submerged in dielectric fluid, where an electrically charged wire is then fed through the submerged metal component to make the precise cuts.

Top Resources for Electrical Discharge Machining

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CNC Machining vs. Manual Machining

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EDM: Sparks Fly with This Gear Manufacturing Process

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The Basics of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)

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