Recent Postings

 Monday, August 30, 2010
« Q&A with Jeff Kiszonas: Choosing Ram or ... | Main | New Makino UPV Series WEDMs target carbi... »
Q&A with Jeff Kiszonas: Converging sinker and wire technologies

Q - Is it possible to have a RAM-type EDM attachment on a WEDM? Would such a thing ever work?

A - Makino offers a fine hole sinker (EDGE2-FH) with a wire EDM electrode dressing attachment, but nothing more. The dressing attachment is a rudimentary wire drive system used, for example, to make a graphite rod into a triangle for making diffuser holes in blades and vanes for turbine engines.  It runs off of the sinker generator.  Wire and sinker EDM generators are different (electronics, waveform generation and shapes, etc.). Wire EDM typically uses much higher frequencies than sinker EDM. This is relative to duty cycle, based on the 'ON TIME' and 'OFF TIME' values, as well as voltages and amperage.  Also, wire EDM typically uses de-ionized water as the dielectric, and sinker EDM uses oil. There's also a huge difference in the design of the Ram for sinker EDM and the upper/lower heads for wire EDM. I suppose a hybrid machine could be designed that would incorporate two generators - a ram for sinker, upper/lower heads containing flushing and wire guide components, and a selectable water/oil dielectric system - but I think you can see where this is going……….$$$$$$$$$$.

-Jeff-

   |  Comments [0]  | 
Comments are closed.