Makino vs Sodick sinker machines

[M. Roberts]

Hello all, I hope everyone is doing well...first week at work without having to wear a mask; its like a vacation! Anyway, I have been tasked to find a sinker EDM for the manufacture of a specific part...in my mind, it is between Makino and Sodick. This would be a new machine...I do have experience with Sodick wire EDM machines; no experience with the Makino....what does everyone think?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[implmex]

Hi M.Roberts:
How big are the features you intend to cut on your machine and how accurate do they need to be?
Makino has kind of dominated in the "tiny burns super precision" space while Sodick has dominated in the "no way to get flushing into the trode...lets jump flush it" space.

Either are wonderful machines if you don't get an inadvertent lemon (yeah it happens even with the best of them).
They are both capable of exquisite precision, but the Makino's have a reputation as the GOTO machine if your work is truly tiny and you need to hit tenths on super tiny burns.

They might legitimately be called overkill on normal jobbing, but if I got one, I'd hug it close and let it burn everything I had to burn, overkill and all.
Sadly they're expensive and the most precise ones don't have honkin' big spark generators or stroke.

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
Vancouver Wire EDM -- Wire EDM Machining

 

[M. Roberts]

Marcus,

Thank you for the reply. Interesting..like I said, no experience with sinkers...yet. I will be getting an education soon enough. There is one job in particular that has quite a few threaded holes burned in...can't be machined conventionally...that this machine will be used for. I did look at the Sodick website, and they did have a video with the "flushing"....I will look at the Makino a bit harder...

Thank you,
Mark

 

[nlancaster]

Having run the Sodick WEDM you will be very familiar with the control of the Sodick Sinker EDM right off the bat. Something to keep in mind.


PS, I am only running Sodick WEDM no sinkers, company is talking about a sinker for a particular customer they want to bid on.

 

[M. Roberts]

Exactly my thinking...I have experience with the brand, and their service team; my consumable supplier deals with Makino....IDK, kind of a tough decision...it would be kind of nice to learn another machine for my benefit....

Mark

 

[implmex]

Hi again Mark:
If you're having a hard time deciding, it may be a good time to reach out to a tech rep from each of the companies.
I don't know who the Sodick guy is in your neighbourhood, but the Makino guy to talk to is Brian Pfluger who participates on this forum from time to time.

He's very knowledgeable and seems to be a really decent guy too, willing to answer your questions objectively.

They are both great brands; easily capable of doing pretty much anything you care to throw at them.
Be aware also, that setting up and programming for a sinker is pretty simple compared to setting up and programming for a wire until you really get into the weeds for a special, super complicated need.
So I wouldn't be intimidated by the thought of running a new control regardless which brand you choose.

If you have the coin to spend and if your burns are mostly tiny (like 0.015" diameter 0.010" long to +/- 0.0001") the Makino will not knock up against any precision or spark generator limitations like a more conventional machine will.
If your burns are more like 0.050" diameter and 0.050" long (or bigger), and you can live with +/-0.0003" or so, you could pick almost anything reputable and it would be fine.

I'd reach out to Brian and let him make his case for a Makino...let him walk you through it all and justify his preference.
Then talk to a Sodick guy and let him have his say too.
By the time you're done, you will have decided, and regardless which one you pick, you won't have made a bad decision unless your need is truly unique.

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
Vancouver Wire EDM -- Wire EDM Machining

 

[Brian Pfluger]

M. Roberts,

My name is Brian Pfluger, and I am one of the EDM Regional Sales Manager at Makino, but I'm also an ex-Tool Maker, ex-Makino Applications Engineer, and ex-Makino EDM Product Manager, so I think I might be qualified to help answer some technical questions!

There have been some excellent comments and suggestions to this string so far, and I hope that I can help you in your machine evaluation process. There are several good machines to choose from out there, but certain machine features or benefits will have different levels of importance and impact to your specific needs and application.

Makino does offer different levels of technology for Sinker EDM machines. This would be the EDGEi-Series (EDGE2i / EDGE3i) and EDAF-Series (EDAF2 / EDAF3) machines, and both machine series are similar in size. The EDGEi-Series machines are designed for a wider range of general precision machining applications, whereas the EDAF-Series machines are designed specifically for high-end Die/Mold applications. The EDAF-Series are technically the more advanced machine, and these enhancements are designed to deliver higher accuracies and finer surface finishes, but not every part application can benefit or utilize these enhancements. The enhanced capabilities of the EDAF-Series machines do come at a price premium, but the EDGEi-Series machines are VERY price competitive and provide an excellent mix of productive capability! (@Marcus…you need to check out the EDGEi-Series machines, as you will be pleasantly surprised with the pricing).

I’m a proponent for using the right tool for the job, so gaining a better understanding of your current and expected work piece requirements will help guide us to which machine might be the proper configuration for your needs. Would you be available for a phone call at some time to discuss your specific needs and application in greater detail? My contact information is below.

- Brian
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 248-921-2474

 

[Gmarco]

Hello all, I hope everyone is doing well...first week at work without having to wear a mask; its like a vacation! Anyway, I have been tasked to find a sinker EDM for the manufacture of a specific part...in my mind, it is between Makino and Sodick. This would be a new machine...I do have experience with Sodick wire EDM machines; no experience with the Makino....what does everyone think?

Thanks,
Mark

Hey Marco here, I do not have an answer for u. Instead I have a question, on sodick wire, am running this parts that are 9 1/2 long along the z axis my question is the parts come out bended any pointers on how to fix this