Recent Developments in Wire Electrodes for High Performance WEDM

Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is an important technology, which demands high-speed cutting and high-precision machining to realize productivity and improved accuracy for manufacturing of press stamping dies, prototype parts etc. Manufacturing advances in Electrical discharge machining (EDM) wires have directly contributed to increased cutting speed and dimensional accuracy. This paper focuses on evolution of EDM wire from copper to brass and from brass to various coated wire, which has helped make wire EDM machining, the method of choice for high-speed production applications, as well as applications requiring improved contour accuracy and improved surface finishes. Some of the characteristics of high performance wire electrodes have been presented, which significantly increase the wire electrical discharge machining productivity.