What Is Wire Cutting?
Wire cutting, formally recognized as wire electrical discharge (Wire EDM) machining, is a method that cuts materials by melting them with high-temperature discharge between a wire and the workpiece. This technique applies to a broad range of conductive metals, from thin aluminum sheets to super-hard materials up to 50mm thick.
Noted for its high precision, wire cutting is ideal for intricate shaping and manufacturing precision components.
Uses of Wire Cutting
Wire cutting is known for its high-precision processing capabilities across various conductive materials, regardless of their hardness. It is used for thin metal sheets and super-hard materials such as hardened steel, carbide, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, Inconel, dies, and polycrystalline diamond.
Principle of Wire Cutting
In wire cutting, a processing tank filled with fluid like pure water or oil contains the workpiece. A thin wire, typically brass or tungsten, acts as the electrode. The technique involves repeated discharge explosions between the wire and workpiece, facilitated by pulse current, to melt and cut the material without physical contact.
The wire, usually brass with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.3mm, is chosen for its excellent conductivity. The temperature during processing can reach 6,000 to 7,000°C. A cooling system in the tank maintains constant water temperature to prevent thermal expansion and deformation of the material.
Types of Wire Cutting
Wire cutting varies based on the cooling method for the wire electrode and workpiece, with common types including jet flow, submerged water, and oil tank submersion wire cutting.
Other Information on Wire Cutting
Wire cutting offers numerous advantages, such as high-precision micro-machining, the ability to process hard-to-cut materials, clean finish, non-contact processing, and no need for cutting tools. However, it also has drawbacks like slow processing speed, limitations on processing bottomed workpieces, the requirement for material conductivity, and the inability to process horizontally.