Module-3: ADVANCED MATERIAL REMOVAL PROCESSES

Lecture No-11

Wire Cut Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM)

The Wire Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM) is a variation of EDM and is

commonly known as wire-cut EDM or wire cutting. In this process, a thin metallic wire is
fed on-to the workpiece, which is submerged in a tank of dielectric fluid such as de-
ionized water. This process can also cut plates as thick as 300mm and is used for making
punches, tools and dies from hard metals that are difficult to machine with other methods.
The wire, which is constantly fed from a spool, is held between upper and lower diamond
guides. The guides are usually CNC-controlled and move in the x–y plane. On most
machines, the upper guide can move independently in the z–u–v axis, giving it a
flexibility to cut tapered and transitioning shapes (example: square at the bottom and
circle on the top). The upper guide can control axis movements in x–y–u–v–i–j–k–l–.
This helps in programming the wire-cut EDM, for cutting very intricate and delicate
shapes.

In the wire-cut EDM process, water is commonly used as the dielectric fluid. Filters and
de-ionizing units are used for controlling the resistivity and other electrical properties.
Wires made of brass are generally preferred. The water helps in flushing away the debris
from the cutting zone. The flushing also helps to determine the feed rates to be given for
different thickness of the materials. The schematic of wire cut EDM is shown in Figure
3.11.1
The
T WEDM process requires lesseer cutting fo
forces in maaterial remooval; hence it is
generally useed when lo ual stresses in the workpiece aree desired. If the
ower residu
en
nergy/powerr per pulse is relatively low (as in fi
finishing opeerations), litttle changes iin the
mechanical
m properties of the materiall are expecteed due to theese low residdual stressess. The
materials
m whiich are not stress-relieve
s ed earlier cann get distortted in the maachining proocess.
The
T selection
n of processs parameters is very crrucial, as inn some casees the workkpiece
un
ndergoes sig
gnificant theermal cycless that can bee very severre. These thhermal cycles can
fo
orm recast layers and induce residual tensilee stresses onn the workkpiece whichh are
un
ndesired.

Process
P of Material
M Rem
moval in Wiire-Cut EDM
M

In
n the WEDM
M process, th
he motion of wire is sloow. It is fed in the progrrammed pathh and
material
m is cut/
c removeed from th
he workpiecce accordinggly. Electriccally conduuctive
materials
m are cut by the WEDM process by thhe electro-theermal mechhanisms. Maaterial
reemoval takees place by a series of discrete disccharges betw
ween the wiire electrodee and
workpiece
w in
n the presence of a di-eelectric fluidd. The di-eelectric fluidd gets ionized in
between the tool-electrode gap thereby creating a path for each discharge. The area
wherein discharge takes place gets heated to very high temperatures such that the surface
gets melted and removed. The cut particles (debris) get flushed away by the continuously
flowing dielectric fluid.

WEDM is a non-conventional process and is very widely used in tool steels for pattern
and die making industries. The process is also used for cutting intricate shapes in
components used for the electric and aerospace industries.

Applications of Wire-Cut EDM

Wire EDM is used for cutting aluminium, brass, copper, carbides, graphite, steels and
titanium. A schematic of the cutting through wire EDM is shown in Fig. 3.11.2. The wire
material varies with the application requirements. Example: for quicker cutting action,
zinc-coated brass wires are used while for more accurate applications, molybdenum wires
are used.

The process is used in the following areas:

 Aerospace, Medical, Electronics and Semiconductor applications

 Tool & Die making industries.
 For cutting the hard Extrusion Dies
 In making Fixtures, Gauges & Cams
 Cutting of Gears, Strippers, Punches and Dies
 Manufacturing hard Electrodes.
 Manufacturing micro-tooling for Micro-EDM, Micro-USM and such other micro-
machining applications.
The
T Subsysteems of Wiree EDM

 Powerr supply.
 Dielecctric system..
 Wire feeding
f system.
 Positioning system
m.

The
T power su
upply and di-electric
d sy
ystem used iin WEDM iis very similar to that oof the
co
onventional EDM. The main
m difference lies onlyy in the typee of dielectricc used.

n wire cut ED
In DM, a moving wire elecctrode is usedd to cut com
mplex outlinees and fine ddetails
in
n the requireed workpiecee. The wire is wound onn a spool annd is kept in constant tennsion.
The
T drive sysstem continu
uously deliv
vers the freshh wire on-too the work aarea. New w
wire is
co
ontinuously exposed to the workpieece hence thee wear of the wire (tool)) is not the m
major
isssue in WED
DM process.. The wire feeding
f systeem consists of a large sspool of wiree and
ro
ollers which direct the wire
w through the machinee. The presennce of metall contact proovides
power to the wire and gu
uides it furth
her in-order tto keep it sttraight throuughout the cuutting
prrocess. The other parts are the pin
nch rollers w
which providde drive andd wire tensiion, a
sy
ystem to thread the wiree from the upper
u to the llower guidee and a sensoor to detect w
when
th
he wire runs out or break
ks.

Process
P Para
ameters in WEDM
W

The
T process parameters
p that
t can affeect the qualiity of machiining or cuttting or drilliing in
WEDM
W proccess are sho
own through
h an Ishikaawa cause-eeffect diagraam as show
wn in
fiig.3.11.3. Th
he major paraameters are as follows:

 Electrrical parametters: Peak cu

urrent, pulsee on time, puulse off time and supply
voltag
ge and polariity.
 Non-eelectrical parrameters: Wire speed; w
work feed ratee, machiningg time, gain and
rate off flushing.
 Electrrode based parameters: Material
M andd size of the w
wire.
 Dielecctric System
m: Type, viscosity, and otther flow chaaracteristics