Speed of Wire vs. Sinker EDM

Machinery_E · Sep 25, 2017

Let's say for example, a straight through hole, 1" square hole in 1" plate. This would be 4 square inches, on a wire edm that averages about 10 square inches an hour, you'd have about 24 minutes of burn time.

How would a sinker compare timewise? Let's say

A. Burning the whole square out.

B. Predrilling a 15/16" hole and burning the corners out.

Also, what would one be looking at in regards to electrode wear? Let's say you are holding +/-.002" and are trying to achieve a surface that is similar to a fine milled finish, say about 25 RMS finish.

Thanks!

implmex · Sep 25, 2017

Hi Machinery_E:
I always prefer to wire cut if I could do either process to make my job.
The wire is faster, easier to control, easier to get excellent accuracy; just simpler in every way.
As a bonus, I don't have to make, set up or qualify electrodes, and I don't have to deal with electrode wear.
As a second bonus I don't stink of Rustlick 250 (dielectric oil) when I get home so my wife likes me better

Now it's important to note I'm highly biased, and that is because my wire EDM is so much more modern than my sinker is.
Also I use Telco for my electrodes which is not as efficient as graphite.

If my sinker was better than my wire, maybe I'd be biased the other way, but I believe it's still true that a wire will outperform a sinker on pretty much any measure.
The sinker wins when you can't wire it, and that's always because of geometry constraints; at least in my shop.

Cheers

Marcus
www.implant-mechanix.com
www.vancouverwireedm.com

plastikdreams · Sep 25, 2017

implmex said:
Hi Machinery_E:
I always prefer to wire cut if I could do either process to make my job.
The wire is faster, easier to control, easier to get excellent accuracy; just simpler in every way.
As a bonus, I don't have to make, set up or qualify electrodes, and I don't have to deal with electrode wear.
As a second bonus I don't stink of Rustlick 250 (dielectric oil) when I get home so my wife likes me better

Now it's important to note I'm highly biased, and that is because my wire EDM is so much more modern than my sinker is.
Also I use Telco for my electrodes which is not as efficient as graphite.

If my sinker was better than my wire, maybe I'd be biased the other way, but I believe it's still true that a wire will outperform a sinker on pretty much any measure.
The sinker wins when you can't wire it, and that's always because of geometry constraints; at least in my shop.

Cheers

Marcus
www.implant-mechanix.com
www.vancouverwireedm.com

What he said...wire will always beat sinker in pretty much everything. Sinkers are made for pockets and cavities and variations there of, any time a clean through cut is being made and it's a choice between wire and sinker, it's wire all day long.

HS70A Brother · Sep 27, 2017

A or B, wire wins every time.

Regards,
John

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