UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATION

A Technical Publication for your

TECHNEWS
TITLE
PROCESS IN WIRE EDM
Shown below is a step by step layout of how Wire EDM process functions.

Individual Spark Detail

Stage 1 - Ions in the

Table water between the wire
and workpiece.

Table Table

Mitsubishi or Ingersoll EDM

Stage 2 - Open voltage
creates a magnetic field
between the wire and
the workpiece, forcing the
ions to condense into Stage 3 - As resistance
bridges across the gap. drops below the thresh-
As the bridges become old, current (a spark)
more dense, resistance flashes across the gap,
begins to drop. vaporizing a portion of
both the wire and the
workpiece.

Stage 4 - Current con-

tinues to flow across
the gap creating a
massive expansion of
pressure. The fluid Stage 5 - At the
initiation of offtime, the
resists the expansion
heat and pressure source
creating a high pres- is removed, creating an
sure area around the implosion. The liquefied
spark. With the heat material is then sucked
and pressure, the into the vacuum toward
materials (wire and the center of the gap.
metal) break down and
start to boil.

Stage 6 - Most of the WHITE

liquefied material forms
a small hollow sphere LAYER Stage 7 - As the fluid
where it cools, solidifies, cools the area of the
and is washed away spark, the remaining liq-
between sparks. uefied material cools and
resolidifies into the crater,
creating what is known as
recast. Recast consists of
two separate layers: the
Heat Affected Zone and
GENERAL INOFMATION

the White Layer.

HEAT
AFFECTED
PARENT ZONE
MATERIAL