Through profiles in conductive stock
Through contours, narrow slots and tooling profiles. Wire EDM for electrically conductive parts, including hardened metal stock.
Bring the drawing. Review wire entry, thickness, taper, internal corners and surface integrity before confirming the cutting route.
STEP / STP · IGES · PDF
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01 / THE PROCESS01 / Geometry shaped by a wire
Wire electrical discharge machining uses controlled electrical discharges between a moving wire and a conductive workpiece. The wire travels through the stock to generate an open or closed through profile.
It is a route to review for tooling inserts, punches, narrow through slots and profiles in hardened metal. The cutting path still needs an entry, clearance for the guides, secure workholding and a plan for the separated slug. Low mechanical cutting force does not mean zero movement: residual stress and released sections can change the part.
Review the wire path ↓02 / Choose the EDM route
Wire cutting, sinker EDM and EDM drilling solve different geometry problems. These comparisons explain process choice; installed configurations and project suitability require review.
An advancing wire follows a contour through conductive stock. Closed internal profiles need a suitable threading hole; an open profile can start from an accessible edge.
A shaped electrode erodes a cavity. Blind cavities and shaped recesses belong to a different EDM route; they should not be described as wire-cut features.
A tubular electrode can make an entry hole for wire threading where suitable. Conventional drilling may also prepare the entry, depending on material and geometry.
03 / Specifications & acceptance
Review critical dimensions individually against material, thickness, geometry, cutting strategy and measurement access.
| Requirement | Specify in the RFQ | Manufacturing implication |
|---|---|---|
| Conductivity & condition | Exact alloy, grade, hardness and prior treatment. | Ordinary insulating plastics cannot be wire cut; special materials need conductivity and process review. |
| Stock & thickness | Finished envelope, thickness changes and available locating faces. | Guide clearance, flushing, workholding and usable capacity require part review. |
| Entry & contour | Closed/open path, permitted start holes, lead-ins and slug handling. | Provide a through path for the wire without damaging functional faces. |
| Corners & slots | Internal radii, slot width and functional clearance. | Wire diameter, discharge gap and path control limit corner and slot geometry. |
| Taper & profile | Top/bottom profiles, angle direction, reference plane and profile controls. | Thickness and guide movement affect feasibility; no universal taper limit is implied. |
| Finish & integrity | Ra/Rz as applicable, recast restrictions, edge acceptance and inspection method. | Agree rough/skim strategy and any post-processing or metallurgical validation. |
| Final condition & records | Datums, heat treatment sequence, quantity and first-article/report requirements. | Confirm acceptance after final treatment; a dimensional report does not prove surface integrity. |
04 / Electrically conductive materials
A process shortlist, subject to part review. No stocked inventory, grade availability or qualification is implied. Ordinary ABS, nylon and PEEK are not suitable Wire EDM materials.
Through profiles in punches and inserts. Plan heat treatment, stress relief and final cutting sequence around distortion and hardness requirements.
Conductive grades can be reviewed for slots and profiles. Identify corrosion needs, heat treatment and acceptance after any passivation.
Conductive aluminum can be reviewed for through features. Thin webs and released stock still require support and stress-aware sequencing.
Conductive alloys need suitable cutting parameters and surface acceptance. Identify contact faces, edge condition and post-treatment needs.
Conductivity alone does not establish the route. Review thickness, surface integrity, flushing and any application-specific validation.
Some cemented carbide grades may be suitable. Confirm electrical conductivity, binder behavior, corrosion risk and edge-integrity requirements.
Exact grades, condition and availability require quotation review.
05 / Surface & final condition
Texture, surface integrity and dimensional acceptance are separate requirements. Put each on the drawing where function demands it.
A rough cut separates the profile; skim passes can refine the surface and geometry. The number of passes is chosen against material, thickness, tolerance and surface needs, rather than promised as a universal recipe.
EDM can leave resolidified material at the surface. Specify any recast-layer limits, microcrack restrictions and required validation. Skim cutting may reduce affected material; it does not establish complete removal.
If polishing, grinding or other removal is needed, agree allowances and reinspection. Protect functional corners and narrow slots; define edge breaks and acceptable wire entry or witness marks.
Confirm whether heat treatment precedes final wire cutting and which dimensions apply afterward. Cleaning, drying and compatible protection matter, especially for corrosion-sensitive materials. Review coatings for dimensional effects.
06 / Quality & inspection
For wire-cut parts, locate the profile from agreed datums. Specify measurement planes for taper and confirm how narrow slots, radii and final surfaces will be checked.
Confirm the revision, datum setup, critical profiles, taper and straightness requirements. Define whether checks apply in the free state or with agreed support for thin parts.
Use an appropriate dimensional method for profile, corner radii and relationships to datum faces. Define roughness and surface-integrity checks separately; a dimensional report does not establish material composition, hardness or recast-layer condition.
Identify critical features for first-article review and any batch sampling, material records or post-finish reports needed. Confirm document scope and traceability in the quotation.
PROLEAN MFG (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
SGS · CN24/00004900
Certificate dates: 05 Aug 2024–04 Aug 2027, subject to satisfactory surveillance audits. Certification concerns the management system; part acceptance follows the agreed specification.
Explore our quality & inspection approach ↗07 / Wire path & DFM
Original illustrative geometry for review. Dimensions, start-hole placement and manufacturing sequence must be resolved for the actual part.
The wire crosses the full stock thickness.
A closed internal contour needs a suitable through start hole for threading. Agree who makes it, its location and the lead-in within sacrificial material. An accessible edge can serve an open path. Plan support and retention of the separated slug so it cannot move into the wire or damage the part.
Internal radius depends on wire radius, discharge gap and path behavior; a zero-radius corner is not a general wire-cut promise. Specify functional clearance and radii. Review slot width with thickness, flushing and the chosen wire rather than quoting an isolated minimum.
Provide thickness and any steps or interrupted sections. Specify top and bottom profiles, taper direction, angle reference and the plane where dimensions apply. Guide motion and flushing affect the practical route; an angle limit is meaningful only with thickness and setup context.
Review rough machining, heat treatment, stress relief and final wire cutting as a sequence. Even without conventional cutter force, residual stress can move a contour as stock separates. Thin webs, long slots and flexible parts need an agreed free-state inspection condition.
Cut length, thickness, threading locations, rough/skim passes, setups, material and inspection affect cost. Share quantity breaks and prioritize functional profiles. Extra skims and special surface validation add work; confirm the route before price and manufacturing schedule.
Define profile datums, taper planes, sampling and records. A dimensional check alone cannot verify a recast limit or microcrack restriction. Agree the required method, sample preparation and availability of specialist testing before placing the order.
08 / Geometry & applications
Typical geometry examples for engineering discussion, without customer attribution, delivered-project claims or regulated-application qualification.
Review clearance between mating profiles, hardness condition, corner relief and any surface-integrity restrictions.
Relate narrow slots to locating faces. Review wire entry, thin webs and distortion after the slug is removed.
Define what the geometry must locate or check. Gauge acceptance and calibration requirements need separate agreement.
09 / RFQ to repeat production
Quote response and manufacturing lead time are different. Material sourcing, cutting length, thickness, passes, treatment and inspection all influence the schedule.
CAD, controlled PDF, material grade, thickness, heat treatment, critical profiles, quantity breaks and target date.
Agree start holes, lead-ins, slug retention, taper, rough/skim strategy and post-processing. Confirm price and manufacturing schedule.
Confirm revision, final condition, inspection methods, surface-integrity needs and any first-article approval before cutting.
Complete agreed checks, protect edges and prevent corrosion in packaging. For repeats, review revision, stock and demand changes.
Compare the complete scope: material documents, entry-hole preparation, skim strategy, post-processing, inspection, packaging, freight and delivery terms. Clarify any sample approval gate.
10 / Wire EDM FAQs
Practical answers for engineering and procurement.
Ask a project-specific question ↗The workpiece must have adequate electrical conductivity. Review the exact metal grade and condition; hardness alone does not determine suitability. Ordinary ABS, nylon and PEEK are insulating and are not Wire EDM materials. Special conductive grades need specific assessment.
Conventional wire cutting needs a continuous wire path through the stock. It is used for through profiles and slots, not a blind cavity with a floor. Review sinker EDM or milling for a blind cavity; the appropriate route depends on geometry and material.
A closed internal contour normally needs a through hole to thread the wire. Open contours can start at a suitable edge. Agree hole location, size, preparation responsibility, lead-in and access before cutting.
Thickness, cut length, flushing conditions, interrupted sections and the required geometry affect the route. Skim passes can refine finish and accuracy, but add processing time. Confirm the chosen pass strategy against the actual acceptance requirements.
Call out internal radii and functional clearance, with top and bottom profiles, taper direction and a reference plane. Corner radius depends on wire size, discharge gap and path control. Neither a universal minimum radius nor a taper angle can be promised without setup review.
Specify roughness on functional faces and any recast-layer or microcrack limits separately. Agree inspection methods and any post-cut removal with dimensional allowances. A skim count or a dimensional report does not itself prove surface integrity.
Hardened stock can be considered for final wire cutting. The best sequence depends on grade, stress, geometry and final acceptance. Agree rough machining, treatment, stress relief, wire cutting and any finishing as a complete route; no zero-distortion outcome is implied.
Send critical dimensions, datums, material condition, thickness, surface requirements and quantity. Tolerance feasibility and manufacturing lead time are confirmed for the reviewed part and inspection plan, rather than inherited from a generic service-page number.
