It’s not a stretch to say that wire and sinker EDM technologies are cutting faster and putting a finer finish on products that are smaller, more delicate, and more complex than ever before.

Chief beneficiaries of these advances in EDM technology are US manufacturers in the mold and die, medical device, and electronics industries, among others searching for a competitive edge against their global competitors, principally from Asia. It’s not too surprising, then, that many of the advances in technology are aimed at taking the EDM process deep into the realm of micromachining.

To survive and compete US manufacturers must come up with new ideas and concepts to work with the very smallest parts,” says Gisbert Ledvon, Charmilles (Lincolnshire, IL). Ledvon explains: “Electrodes are required for parts that are so small that you have to rely on your ability to cut the part perfectly, because they are difficult to measure.”

Charmilles has adopted a two-pronged approach in developing its Roboform 350μ MicroTEC technology for micromachining delicate, complicated parts. “First we have focused on developing application-driven technology that addresses the customer’s requirements, for example, to produce a deep rib or produce a finish of a certain quality rather than to cut graphite into steel. Secondly, we have developed the MicroTEC generator to fine-tune power settings to match the complex details of smaller electrodes,” Ledvon states.