Makino EDM Matters Blog - Accuracy

Tech Tip

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:22:44 GMT

If you are having difficulty manufacturing or burning small/thin rib electrodes or tapping electrodes, give copper-impregnated graphite a try. You still need to use the standard graphite machining conditions, but the copper that is infused into the material makes it easier to machine the electrode to form and prevent chipping during the milling/turning process. The copper also gives added rigidity to the graphite, thus reducing flexure of the electrode during orbiting. This flexure can cause uneven surface finishes and inaccurate cavities or parts. Copper-impregnated graphite is available from several manufacturers, including Poco, Toyo Tanso, Ibiden and others. For information on copper-impregnated graphite materials and applications, contact Single Source Technologies (SST) at www.singlesourcetech.com.

The Expo is coming, October 12-13!

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:50:41 GMT

Makino in Auburn Hills, MI welcomes you to attend the Advanced Manufacturing and High-Precision Technology Expo. During this two day event on October 12 and 13, we will have seven EDM machines on display among a total of 17 machine tools. These EDMs will represent Makino’s diversity in the field, from the workhorse DUO-Series wire EDMs, to the ultra-precision UPJ2 horizontal WEDM. If its super fine finishes you require, especially in carbide and PCD materials, we will be demonstrating the new UPV-Series WEDMs that operate with oil instead of dielectric water.

Our newest sinker EDM, the EDAF-Series with ArcFree Technology, will be sporting the latest in on-board program generation, Makino Program Generator (MPG). The larger EDAF3 will be outfitted with our extremely precise Fine Hole option for drilling of holes as small as 11 micron, and L:D capabilities of over 100:1. At the pinnacle of accuracy for Makino sinker EDM technology are the EDAC1 and EDFH1. We will have an EDFH1 machine in our controlled environment room. This machine can be used as both a standard sinker and a precision EDM hole drill, just like our EDAF machines with Fine Hole option. The big difference is that the EDFH1 can achieve the finest of finishes and the smallest of details with ease.

It’s going to be one of the premier manufacturing technology events of 2011. If you’re in the Detroit area, stop in and see what Makino has to offer. Register now at www.makino.com/expo.

Makino at imX 2011

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:43:18 GMT

If you’re planning on attending imX next week at the Las Vegas Convention Center, I’d like to welcome you to stop by the Makino Experience Zone (#2348) to see the ArcFree Technology and fine-hole finishing capabilities of the EDAF2-FH sinker EDM, as well as the mirror-like surface finishing capabilities of the oil-dielectric based UPV series wire EDMs. Our skilled team of EDM engineers will be on hand to address your manufacturing challenges and discuss the latest solutions in sinker and wire EDM technologies.

You can also “learn more to earn more” at Makino’s micromachining learning lab, where my colleague, John Bradford, will discuss the latest EDM techniques and technologies that are continually expanding the horizons of micromachining.

Stop by and say “Hi.” We look forward to meeting with you and helping you hone your EDM skills and technologies.

More Information on Fine Hole EDM Drilling Results

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:49:30 GMT

Since small hole drilling is becoming more popular for production applications in aerospace, medical, electronics, and other sectors that require very small, extremely accurate holes with good surface finish, Makino is seeing a growing demand for machines that can produce these holes consistently and repeatably. Here are some test results that were produced by the Makino EDM Applications Department in Auburn Hills, MI.

The Applications Department performed this test to prove the repeatable accuracy of the EDGE2 Fine Hole machine. A series of 15 holes, 0.010" (0.254mm) diameter, was made on the machine using 0.008" (0.203mm) diameter copper pipe to predrill each hole, then a solid copper rod was used for finishing. The holes were measured for entrance and exit size, and also shape accuracy on an OGP Quest Vision System.

There are several factors that determine the accuracy and speed at which the 0.010" (0.254mm) diameter holes can be produced. When the 0.008" (0.203mm) diameter copper tube is at full length, the machining time is longer and a greater taper is produced from entrance to exit for the solid finishing rod to remove. This is indicated by the values shown for holes 1 through 9. As the roughing pipe electrode becomes shorter, the machining speed and break-through at the bottom of the holes are much faster. The roughing process produced a slight taper of 2 ~ 4 tenths (5-11 micron) which was removed during the finishing process. It was critical to perform these tests in a climate controlled room, and to use only the highest quality copper tubes available to reach these results and times. To maintain the better results shown in holes 10 through 15, the electrodes should be purchased in a maximum of 6.0” lengths. All 15 holes where roughed and finished in approximately 60 minutes for an average of 4 minutes to include dressing between holes.

Hole # Entrance Exit Difference
1 0.010032” 0.010432” 0.000400”
2 0.010090” 0.010242” 0.000152”
3 0.009993” 0.010127” 0.000134”
4 0.010033” 0.010131” 0.000098”
5 0.010048” 0.010145” 0.000097”
6 0.010040” 0.010320” 0.000280”
7 0.010065” 0.010569” 0.000504”
8 0.010025” 0.010348” 0.000323”
9 0.009994” 0.010336” 0.000342”
10 0.009962” 0.010039” 0.000077”
11 0.009966” 0.009984” 0.000018”
12 0.009956” 0.010038” 0.000082”
13 0.010052” 0.010064” 0.000012”
14 0.010056” 0.010066” 0.000010”
15 0.009996” 0.010004” 0.000008”

Cpk Results of Entrances
Based on specific pre-defined requirements for these holes, Cpk is 1.82.
This Cpk is considered exceptional based on the following scale:
0 to less than 1.0 is unacceptable - sometimes called "not capable"
Greater than 1 to 1.33 is fair
Greater than 1.33 to 1.66 is acceptable
Greater than 1.66 is exceptional
These Cpk values and ratings are per QualityAdvisor.com

Hole Shape and Location

The holes shown above were photographed at 166x magnification on the OGP Quest Vision System. Pitch between center of holes was programmed at 0.0250” (0.635mm)

The two photos shown above were taken at 403 magnification. Back light shown at left, surface and back light shown at right.

For more information on these test results or the Makino Edge2 Fine Hole EDM machine, send an email to bill.paul@makino.com.

Edge2 Fine Hole EDM - Making the Impossible a Reality

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:09:02 GMT

I have written here in the past about EDM fine hole drilling, but I have some update info that is very interesting. Makino recently did some testing for a customer who needed a 0.007-0.008" (0.177mm - 0.203mm) diameter hole drilled through 0.75" (19.05mm) of CPM material. That's a Length-to-Diameter ratio (L:D) of 125:1. Some will say "That's impossible, it can't be done.". However, Makino Application Engineers were able to produce this very thing on the Edge2 Fine Hole machine. Using a 0.006" (0.15mm) diameter copper pipe and a tooling set-up that allows 90 degree incremental part indexing, they were able to produce a 0.0075" (0.1905mm) diameter hole through 0.75" (19.05mm) of CPM-M4. Here's a picture of the block of material with a piece of 0.004" (0.101mm) wire running through it, and magnified view of the hole itself. The hole, drilled from both sides to meet in the middle, took 30 minutes. When the part was cut open with WEDM to inspect the middle of the part where the 2 holes met, there was no visible line or mismatch at the meeting point.

EDM for aerospace

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:28:41 GMT

I have provided a lot of information on the use of EDM in aerospace manufacturing through this blog, trade events, webinars on Makino.com, and a recently published article in Makino's aerospace focused magazine, Radical Departures. These have produced a fair amount of interest from several aerospace primes and top tier suppliers, as well as MROs in the aerospace sector. I've completed the testing program to gather data for general, non-specific applications, and have sent out over 2 dozen copies of the complete test results to the companies that have asked for them.

If you have an interest in looking at EDM as a viable process in parts manufacturing for the aerospace industry, from engine parts to landing gear components, contact me to discuss how Makino can help. We are ready and willing to provide test cuts on specific materials and geometries that your company can perform metallurgical tests on to verify recast and HAZ thickness, existence of micro cracks, surface hardness, tensile strength, etc. If you would like a copy of Radical Departures, let me know and I will make sure you receive on. The test cuts and magazine are free.

Customer Support Is Very Rewarding

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:39:48 GMT

There's always a good feeling you get after reading an e-mail like this...

"It is a pleasure to write this e-mail. I wanted to express my gratitude for the support I've always received from all of my contacts with the people from SST Group. Mr. Dan Dotson keeps in frequent contact with me on any consumable items that I may need. He always finds time to call me at least weekly to provide updates on SST product updates or to offer encouragement as we navigate this difficult business cycle environment. Many thanks.

I would also like to tell you about the valuable support I receive from another of your highly qualified people. Kevin Most has probably been the biggest reason I have been successful with the investments I've made with Makino EDM's. Many, many numerous times I have clicked on his speed-dial on my cell phone over the last 2 to 3 yrs and have never not been able get in immediate contact with Kevin. I'm not talking about problems with my machines but rather application issues such as helping me by discussing the best way to burn select materials so I can quote a job, or complete a job or just enlighten me as to the capabilities of the SP43. I have one small customer that asks me to burn a shape in carbide that is actually a spline curve which often trips me up on the programming side and Kevin always finds a solution for me. Did you know that he helped me through one of these projects by exchanging e-mails while he was in Singapore last year? Yep, he found time between meetings, tours and training to get the info to me. Unbelievable. Ask him sometime how he worked me through a 4axis application for an exhaust nozzle on a jet engine that turned into a blanket order that lasted over a year and may repeat again this year.

Lately, I've been moving jobs from other wire edm's over to the Makinos to take advantage of using my 'HEAT' settings on quite thin but very rigid work pieces. I don't think 'Heat' is generally recommended for 1/4" or 3/8" thick work pieces however when the parts are in a rigid set-up and very poor flushing 'Heat' works very well.

I will not extend this email further with any more examples of how I've been supported. So let me conclude with this. Picture me in my shop, standing in front of the control on a SP43, cell phone up against my ear, saying "Kevin, how do I get it (the SP43) to do this" That says it all.

When I purchased my second Makino, I told Nick that I made my decision based on buying not just a good machine but also buying the Makino Team. I'm sure I'll feel the same when I'm ready for my third."

Sincerely,
Jack Lanphier Pres.
Lanko Industries, Inc.
Mentor, Ohio

Thanks for the e-mail Jack. It's a pleasure for all of us at Makino to serve our customers.

Amazing EDM Fine Hole comparison

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:21:58 GMT

Makino has recently done testing for a customer in the medical industry for EDM Fine Hole machining. Part of this testing compared Fine Hole EDM to Laser and conventional mechanical drilling techniques. The results of the tests were pretty amazing. The photo micrographs below show the results of all three processes. As the demand for smaller holes in medical devices, telecommunications and fiber optics, and aerospace applications increases, Makino continues to develop and refine our Fine Hole EDM machines to meet these demands. Requirements for many of these projects include accuracy of size and shape, consistency in dimensions and locations of entry and exit, and straightness through high L/D ratios. Check out these pictures and decide for yourself which process produces a better result in tight tolerance, high accuracy hole drilling. These photos were machined into 316 Stainless Steel, 0.250mm thick, and captured on a scanning electron microscope. Magnification levels are indicated on the photos.

This 0.015mm hole was developed using using a PICO second laser. Notice the deformation of the entrance hole and splattering of the exit hole.

The following 0.090mm hole was produced using conventional drilling. Notice the differing entrance and exit hole diameters and inaccurate roundness.

The next 0.020mm hole was produced using Makino Fine Hole EDMing. Entrance and exit holes were of the same quality with little to no deformation occurring to either one.

Makino fine hole EDMing was used to produce this 0.100mm hole as well. Once again the entrance and exit holes were virtually of the same quality. As you can see, little to no deformation resulted.

FW: Ti Booster technology

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:23:18 GMT

FW: Ti Booster technology
Makino has recently developed Titanium booster technology for Makino sinkers at the request of a major aerospace manufacturer. In order to use it, the EDM machine must have a generator booster that provides an additional 60 amps to the existing standard generator. What's new is the technology, or machining conditions, that provide the burn parameters for the machining - On time, Off time, Servo, Amperage, etc. The new technology is currently for high speed roughing only, and provides material removal rates of about 2 grams per minute. This is about 70-80% faster than previous technologies. Makino is currently developing finish settings for this new technology that are expected to be able to achieve finishes down to less than 2 micronRa, or 75 microinchRa. This technology will be available for most Makino sinker EDMs. We'll be broadcasting an online seminar on our Titanium booster technology this Thursday, January 22, 2009. If you'd like to attend and learn more about these advancements in titanium machining, you can register for free here. Thanks for reading everybody, hope to see you at this weeks seminar!

Advancements in EDM technology from Makino

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:29:43 GMT

Makino EDM introduced some new technology at IMTS. For Wire EDM, we presented the new DUO43 and DUO64 WEDMs. These machines will replace the SP series, and have several improvements of note. The DUO series machines are about 20% smaller in footprint than the SPs were, but retain the same X, Y, Z, U, V axis travels. The bed of the machines have been redesigned to incorporate the clean and dirty tanks into the same platform as the machine tool. New technologies will give the machine about a 20% increase in performance in many applications, and we have specifically designed .012" wire technologies to address both speed and performance with larger diameter wires. This is the only WEDM made that offers a choice of wire guide systems, either our proven Split Precision V Guides or the new PICO Precision Guides for small hole/close pitch threading and precision land/taper work for fine blanking and precision stamping dies.

On the sinker side, our newest advancements are a titanium specific generator, and Super Spark Graphite. The titanium generator allows high speed burning of titanium parts, specifically at the request of a major aerospace manufacturer, while maintaining surface integrity of the parts being machined. Super Spark Graphite is a new technology that drastically reduces burn time in deep cavities, while reducing electrode wear. In some cases, Super Spark Graphite allows EDMing of details that were impossible to do with older, standard technologies. One example of this that was on display at IMTS is a blind hole machined with a 5mm (0.197") square electrode to a depth of 200mm (7.874"). The fact that this can even be done at all is amazing, but it took only 20 hours (with no external flushing) and had around 20% wear on the roughing electrode (1st of 3 electrodes total).

For more information on these and other technological advancements in EDM from Makino, go to www.makino.com.

An Update on Our Aerospace Material Testing

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:01:16 GMT

I've mentioned in the past that Makino is doing materials testing of aerospace alloys that have been processed with EDM. Makino has shown 2 webinars addressing this topic. I will be presenting more information on this topic as a speaker at this year's IMTS in Chicago, IL on Wednesday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. Makino EDM has had testing done on several different aerospace alloys, having just added Inconel 718 to the list of tested materials. Other alloys previously tested for HAZ, recast, micro-cracking, and Vickers Micro-hardness include 6061-T6 aluminum, 17-4 stainless, and 6Al-4V titanium. Be sure to stop by the Business and Technology Forum to see results of the latest testing performed by a NADCAP certified lab.

Success Stories from PICO Wire Guides

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:05:56 GMT

Hey everybody, forgive me for the lack of posts recently. We’ve been busy helping customers with a few challenging applications.

Today I wanted to share a couple of success stories I received from customers using the PICO wire guide system.

The customer was using a U32j with PICO to thread two series of holes in a die plate. The die plate contained a total of 836 holes, half of them were 0.012", and half were 0.015" in diameter. The wire this customer used was 0.006" brass. To the pleasant surprise of this customer, the machine correctly threaded 835 of the 836 holes.

Many customers have had great success with the PICO guides in several different applications, including holes smaller than 0.020" diameter, and/or with pitch locations of less than 0.060" center-to-center. Another customer is actually automatically threading through a series of holes in a stack of parts with separation between each part in the stack. The part stack, including the spaces, is about 1-1/2 inches tall.

Many of these success stories have come from applications used in medical and aerospace parts manufacturing. If you’re using Makino’s new PICO system and want to share your experience, email Brian Pfluger at brian.pfluger@makino.com. We’d love to hear from you!

Wire EDM testing in progress...results soon to come.

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:57:37 GMT

I've mentioned this before here, but I want to remind everyone that Makino is doing some interesting materials testing related to EDM and aerospace manufacturing. We've already had a lot of Wire EDM testing done - 18 samples, 3 different alloys (17-4PH, AL6-4V, 6061-T6), 1, 2, and 3 pass machining. Tests performed were recast thickness, Heat Affected Zone thickness, micro cracks, and Vickers Micro Hardness. We've seen some very impressive results that you can see in our webinar archives at Makino.com . We are now in the process of testing the same 3 alloys, same tests, but with Sinker EDM burns. We'll be adding Inconel 713 in the very near future. I'll have results from these tests in the next couple of weeks, and I'll presenting this data at the Montreal Machine Technology Show on Tuesday, May 13. Anyone interested in these types of tests should stop by if you're attending the show. I'll also be supporting our Canadian distributor, SST-Canada, in their booth, number 332. If you're at the show, stop by either the technical presentation on Tuesday morning, or the SST booth to say hi. If you'd like a copy of the test results of what we've done so far, just send me an email and I'll send you a copy.

Witness lines virtually eliminated with SurfaceWIZARD

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:57:19 GMT

Hey guys, I thought I'd let you all take a look at a new test cut piece that the EDM Applications Department in Auburn Hills came up with. This part shows how well SurfaceWizard technology handles interrupted and variable thickness cuts without leaving lines at transition points. With older technology, cutting across these kinds of details would leave anything from fine witness lines, to gouges that could be several thousandths of an inch deep. The only visible line here is on the left side of the "K" in Makino. Not only did SurfaceWizard allow cutting of this part without leaving severe witness lines, the technology also helps produce a straight, flat cut along the surface being worked. This part came directly off of the machine, with no hand work or secondary operations to "polish up" the EDMed surface. For more details on SurfaceWizard technology, contact me via phone or email, or call EDM Applications at our Die Mold Technology Center in Auburn Hills, MI at 248-232-6200.

EDM in Aerospace webinar archive available

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:13:54 GMT

As you may or may not know, I presented a webinar on www.makino.com last July concerning the effects of the EDM process on surface integrity of titanium. The data and photo micrographs were supplied courtesy of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Based on the test results that LMA provided to Makino, we decided to do some of our own testing. These tests included 1, 2, and 3 pass machining on aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium, with brass and coated wires. Metallurgical tests performed included recast layer and HAZ thickness, micro-cracking, and micro hardness of the various samples. The results we saw were pretty amazing! Check it out for yourself here.

What is WIZARD technology?

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:42:18 GMT

Part of the reason HEAT is so effective is due to the WIZARD technology already built into Makino Wire EDMs. Here's an explaination of what that is:

BellyWIZARD: Improves part straightness thru adaptive and mechanical adaptive controls…this technology was originally developed and is part of our standard machining technology library for “optimum” flush conditions (High Speed and Precision settings). It has been incorporated into the HEAT technology and is a critical part of machining straighter parts.

PowerWIZARD: Improves and stabilizes the machining power to prevent wire breaks and to help improve accuracies. For the HEAT technology, this adaptive control has been set to be more sensitive, so that this technology will be more reactive to changes in both flushing and material thickness changes.

CornerWIZARD: Improves the geometric shaped and corner tolerance of the work piece. For HEAT technology, this adaptive control has been modified to accommodate the increases in both machining speed and flushing pressure.

FlushingWIZARD: This includes the two independently monitored and adaptive flush pumps that are each dedicated to the upper and lower machining heads. Each pump will sense and adapt to changes in “flushing dynamics” of the cut more quickly than any of our competitors (our competition only uses one pump), and this aids in maintaining machining speed as well as to prevent wire breaks. For HEAT technology, the flushing pressure has been greatly increased, which is a key factor in reducing cycle time.

Question: What is the accuracy and straightness of HEAT technology with 2 pass machining?

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:36:55 GMT

The general accuracy rating for HEAT at 4.0” tall is:

Accuracy:
±0.0002” (±5µm)

Straightness:
0.0002” (5µm) total – T.I.R.

Question: What is the accuracy and straightness of HEAT technology with 1 pass machining?

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:27:21 GMT

The general accuracy rating for HEAT at 4.0” (152mm) tall is:

Accuracy:
±0.0003” (±7µm)

Straightness:
0.0005” (12µm) total – T.I.R.

Parts suited for HEAT

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:35:22 GMT

You may be asking yourself, what kinds of parts are suited for HEAT? Below is a picture, but in general any part that has lots of cuts, through-holes, and other complex features. If you’re cutting flat-plate work, HEAT won’t give you much benefit. If you’re cutting a part that is complicated and the nozzles can’t seal against the part, you can expect significant (30-50%) time savings using HEAT.