Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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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, or
contact me at jeff.kiszonas@makino.com.