What is EDM?
EDM or Electrical Discharge Machining is a process in which a concentrated spark is generated between an electrode and a work piece. This spark will basically melt or erode most any type of material that the work piece could be made of. The heat from the spark is carefully controlled so that it only affects the surface of the work piece and does not have an effect on material below the surface.
EDM is a very accurate process in which tolerances of +/-.0001” can be held, however +/-.0002” is more common. By holding these tolerances EDM is the ideal choice for machining forms or features in to hardened materials.
There are two common types of EDM, Wire EDM and Ram or Conventional EDM.
Wire EDM
In Wire EDM a metallic wire acts as the electrode and cuts or profiles the work piece. When utilizing wire EDM the cut must always go through the entire work piece. All of Header Die and Tool’s EDM machines have the ability to add taper or draft to the wire allowing for taper in the part or different forms on the top and bottom of the work piece.
Header Die and Tool utilizes Wire EDM for many different applications across many different industries.
Conventional or RAM EDM
Conventional or RAM EDM is used when the cut or feature does not travel through the entire work piece. When utilizing RAM EDM an electrode is made that has the form of the feature that is desired on the work piece. Electrodes are commonly made out of graphite or copper tungsten. Header Die and Tool utilizes advanced high speed machining techniques to manufacture electrodes for our RAM EDM machines, this allows for very complex forms to be applied to the electrode and burned into the work piece. Header Die and Tool’s RAM EDM machines are all CNC controlled and have the ability to “orbit” the electrodes, this feature allows for adding very uniform relief in shaped extruding dies.