Wire EDM Machines:Finding The Right Equipment For Your Machine Shop

Wire EDM Machines perform an important task for your tool and part needs. If you work with metal surfaces that are not easy to manipulate or cut using conventional methods such as drills, mills or grinders, an electrical discharge machine may be what you need to have access to. Wire EDM machines first appeared in the 1960s. They were patented in 1969 by an American engineer named David Dulebohn who worked for Andrew Engineering Company in Hopkins, Minnesota. Mr. Dulebohn and his colleagues would later move forward to incorporate computer control panels in the machine; thus, creating a new line of devices called computer numerical controlled (CNC) EDM machines. Choosing the suitable wire EDM machine for your business begins with the appreciation of what these machines do. This awareness will allow you to determine which type of wire EDM machine would be feasible to meet your business needs. What EDM Machines Do Wire EDM machines, like other types of electrical discharge machines, came into existence on the basis of the discovery of an English physicist in 1770 named Joseph Priestly. It was Priestly who discovered that the use of electricity in a directed manner could produce and erosive effect on metal. Two centuries later, a Russian couple learned about Priestly's work and created the die sink electrical discharge machine. This device was more accurate and precise than the usual tools used for grinding, milling, or drilling. In fact, its precision even surpassed the accuracy of Dulebohn's wire EDM machine. How EDM Machines Work EDM machines carry out its functions by directing electricity on the targeted metal surface to erode and cut it. The electrodes are aimed on the traceable pattern to produce an output exactly as the designer hoped for. Things You Can Do with Wire EDM Machines The two common types of wire EDM machines, mentioned above, are the traditional non-computerized wire cut EDM machines first introduced through U.S. patent in 1969 and the computer numerical controlled (CNC) EDM that Dulebohn's team introduced in 1976. Both of these machines accomplish the same type of cutting action for producing tools and parts. The question of precision and automation are what separate these different types of wire EDM machines. For more on matters relating to the scale and precision of wire EDM machines, it is best to consult a reputable manufacturer or dealer. Wire EDM machines come in table base designs or with a traveling column. You may want to ask which type would work best meet your manufacturing and other production requirements. Take wire cut EDM machines for instance; these gadgets, equipped with a fixed based traveling column, are widely used in medical and aerospace industries, and it can be a bit pricey though. Make an informed choice by looking at the specifications and comparisons with the other offered models.

Wire EDM Machines can play an integral part in your metalworking and manufacturing processes. If you work with metal surfaces that are not easy to manipulate or cut using conventional methods, perhaps you need a change of tools. Consider replacing your old drills and grinders with CNC EDM machines.