Are All Wire EDM Companies Serving The Same Industry?

To answer the question are all wire EDM companies serving the same industries? The answer is Yes and No.

Yes, the technology and the machines used can be used for any industry. No, because a shop may need to have certain certification, manufacturing environment or auxiliary process that you need and are specific to a particular industry. In addition, knowledge in making similar products or working with similar materials can be a bonus when sourcing a shop.

Wire EDM is used across all industries to make tools, dies and molds. In this case, wire EDM is used for making an item which is later used in production of the product (ie. injection molding molds). In many cases all wire EDM shops are able to provide these services.

Some industries require very specific skills or certification from their vendors. If you need a miniature part made with tight tolerances as is the case with many medical devices, you need a different vendor than if you have a 10 foot long piece of titanium that needs to be machined which might be the case in aerospace. The two projects require different manufacturing capabilities and skill sets from the vendor. There are shops that have all of them under one roof but many are specialized.

“Conventional” EDM uses a tool as the cathode, to send the electrical current to the anode, which is the workpiece to be shaped. The electrical current melts or vaporizes the metal of the workpiece. Wire EDM, also known as wire cut EDM, is something of the younger brother of conventional EDM. It uses a thin, taut wire, to dispense the electrical current, and thus allows for much greater precision. Modern wire EDM technology can cut metal as thin as 0.004” (0.102 mm), which facilitates finer cuts and design.

There are many reasons why you may choose to use a wire EDM process. It can be used to produce very small, highly detailed objects, for which traditional machining methods just aren’t delicate enough. It’s also cost efficient for low quantity production, as well as prototypes. But there are a number of wire EDM companies out there, and you’ll need to choose the right one for your project.

We suggest that you use wire EDM reviews or recommendations in order to make the right choice. There’s a variety of EDM equipment out there, and some types are better suited for the applications in one industry or another. Here are some examples:

Micro machining equipment uses wire of diameters as small as 0.0008” (0.02 mm) to allow for super precise cutting of miniaturized components. It’s ideal for semiconductors and in industries like aerospace, defense, and medical instruments.

High speed machining is best suited for working a large, complex workpieces, as may be needed in die manufacturing, as well as aerospace and medical applications.

There are also general purpose wire EDM machines, which, as the name suggests, can be used in a variety of applications.

Wire EDM has revolutionized the tool and die, mold, and metalworking industries since its introduction in the late 1960. Its uses are only as limited as your own imagination, and the variations in the processes and the equipment available are extensive and continue to grow. We can’t stress enough the need to consult wire EDM reviews to make sure that you’re choosing a company that meets the needs of your project.