Recent Postings

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 me at jeff.kiszonas@makino.com. We’d love to hear from you!

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.

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.

Makino now offers a variety of wire guide solutions based on application needs - original split V guides for general EDM work and split C guides for high taper work, and PICO Precision guides for reliable, sustained AWT function when working with small holes, closely spaced small hole patterns, and precision tapers along changes in geometry, such as a stamping die with a variable land surface that requires accurate tapering along the land area.  These bullet points should help explain where each of the guide systems can be best utilized.

• Split Guides
• V-and-Flat guide
• Recommended for about 80-85% of EDM work
• Good results for taper angles up to 10 degrees
• Split “C” guide
• Recommended for taper work from 10 to 45 degrees
• Fast, easy maintenance
• PICO Precision Guides
• Similar to traditional round guides
• Recommended for variable land taper cuts in stamping work
• Recommended for auto threading of small holes
• Diameters <0.65mm (0.025”)
• Recommended for auto threading small holes in close proximity
• Diameters <0.65mm (0.025”)
• Hole centers closer than 1.5mm (0.060”)

For more information and assistance with choosing the right guide for your work, please contact EDM Applications Support at 888-MAKINO4 (625-4664).

There is a new version of Machining Conditions now available for all SP-Series Wire EDM's.  This is Ver 501, and it provides settings for 3 Pass HEAT technology, more Precision Steel technology, and more Carbide technology.  The third pass HEAT technology adds a finishing pass, while the Steel and Carbide technologies have expanded settings up to 6 inch tall material.  Please contact Makino Technical support for more details at 888-MAKINO4 (625-4664).

Was speaking to a customer the other day who was having some issues using coated wires, so I thought I'd share this tidbit...

When using coated wires, you may want to evaluate and/or remove the felt wiper pads from the upper wire drive system on your machine.  Depending on what type and brand of coated wire used, the abrasiveness of the felt pads can sometimes start stripping the coating off the wire.  This is more evident when using the newer Gamma-Phase type coated wires.  If the coating is being stripped off the wire from the felt pads, an accumulation of debris is typically seen near the felt pad above the AWT Thread Jet assembly.  This will typically not cause any major problems, but increases the maintenance required on the machine.

At Makino, we’re constantly testing new materials, new wires, and new techniques. We want to know what your real-world testing has taught you. Email Jeff.Kiszonas@makino.com and we’ll share your EDM tests.

One of our EDM Applications Engineers recently performed some comparison test cuts on a medical production job.  These results show comparative data between the Makino SP43 and one our competitor's machines, as well as between hard brass wire and Versacut H wire.  

Parts : KNEE REPLACEMENT PART (Medical Production)
Material : STAINLESS STEEL
Thickness: 2.500"
Wire Diameter: .012" (brass and coated)
Number of passes - 1 rough, 1 skim
MAKINO SP43 (WITH VERSACUT H)
Cutting Time : 1 Hour 25 Minutes.  (1.42)  (85 min)
Wire Consumption : 1071 Yards.
MAKINO SP43 (WITH HARD BRASS WIRE)
Cutting Time : 1 Hour 54 Minutes.  (1.90)  (114 min)
Wire Consumption : 1471 Yards.
COMPETITOR (WITH HARD BRASS WIRE)
Cutting Time : 2 Hours 20 Minutes.  (2.33)  (140 min)
Wire Consumption : 1647 Yards.
The Makino SP43 was:
25.4% faster in this application when using VersaCut H compared to hard brass wire.
18.6% FASTER than the competition when using Hard Brass Wire.
39.3 % FASTER than the competition when using VersaCut H wire.
And had:
27.2% Less wire consumption in this application when using Versacut H compared to hard brass wire.
10.7% LESS wire consumption than the competition when using Hard Brass Wire.
35% LESS wire consumption than the competition when using VersaCut H Wire.

Since this testing was done on the floor of a Makino customer, the competitor's machine was not tested with Versacut H.  I would expect, however, that even the competitor would see a substantial difference in cycle time and wire consumption by switching from hard brass to Versacut H wire, assuming of course that the competitor's machine can successfully run coated wires as well as brass wires.