Electrical Discharge Machining And Mold Making

The use of electrical discharge machining is so essential that it is almost impossible to imagine a modern shop without an EDM machine. Many of today's products simply could not be produced without it. Think of all the cell phones, calculators, IPods, cameras, medical devices and the endless amounts of high tech equipment that are made out of plastic!

Besides the essential role it plays in plastic injection mold making, EDM is used for the precision machining of medical parts, aerospace parts, and other highly specialized products. Electrical discharge machining, including Wire EDM, has also completely changed the way molds are made, as well as other specialized parts.

This is your information source for the EDM die sinker

Check out the pages dealing with  graphite, graphite dust, copper, dielectric fluid, electrode holders, and machinery.

What about jobs in EDM?

Find out what kind of personality it takes to have electrical discharge machining as a career job. See what the future holds in this high-tech profession.

You can also find educational material that attempts to explain this rather mysterious process. Not so long ago, it was as much black art as science. Today, however, much of the mystery is removed due to CNC controls.

Most shops send their operators to classes put on by the manufacturer of their EDM machine. It is foolish to invest so much money in a machine and skimp on the training! But it happens all the time.

What about EDM and stress?

EDM is quite a stressful occupation, to put it mildly. It may not appear difficult, but the stress levels can be exhausting. Nearly every mold component that is EDM'd is in the final stages of manufacturing. The slightest mistake can become very costly, very quickly.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of coming to work in the morning and seeing your supervisor leaning over the EDM machine staring at your workpiece. Then you find out that you had mixed up two locations and the completely finished cavity block is now completely useless! Aaagggghhh!

EDM Tooling

Today, every progressive company uses at least one highly sophisticated system of EDMtooling. This tooling is essential for manufacturing, inspection, and the actual machining.

Electrode Materials

Graphite and copper are the dominate materials, with various other materials meeting the needs for special applications.

Dielectric Fluids

Dielectric fluid is a necessary part of the EDM process. As new types of fluids are developed, higher precision is possible, finer finishes are attainable, and the environmental impact is reduced. An added benefit is that your operators won't smell like diesel fuel anymore either!
 

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