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EDM wire cutting
News Release from: Sodi-Tech edm | Subject: Sodick AQ327L wire EDM
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 February 2007
Wire EDM plus etching reduces tool costs
A UK subcontractor that makes use of wire EDM and photochemical etching facilities to reduce high press tool costs has acquired the latest wire EDM system for increased speed.
The installation of a Sodick AQ327L is helping achieve a 20% reduction in wire EDM cycle times at Precision Micro, a West Midlands sub-contract engineering firm with a difference By the admission of Mick Taylor, business development manager at Precision Micro, "Sub-contractors in the West Midlands with wire EDM facilities are 'ten-a-penny'." However, advanced wire EDM, allied to extensive photochemical etching facilities, add up to a niche that this particular West Midlands sub-contractor is exploiting to great effect
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 May 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The machine behind this interesting technology mix is a new Sodick AQ327L linear motor wire EDM that replaced an older Sodick model which had given long and, reliable service but was in need of well-deserved retirement.
"The use of sub-contract photochemical etching services is increasing," said Taylor.
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"The process eliminates the high tooling costs associated with stamping - with no detriment to lead-time.
We carry an extensive range of material in stock so we can handle batch sizes from one-off up to millions in an extremely expedient manner." The excellent service provided by the company's previous Sodick EDM meant Precision Micro didn't even consider going elsewhere for a replacement machine.
"Our familiarity with Sodick technology, along with the excellent support provided by Sodi-Tech EDM over the years, presented us with a very straightforward decision," explained Taylor.
Precision Micro deploys its photochemical etching techniques on a wide range of small, often complex and highly accurate, metal components destined for customers operating in industries such as electronics, automotive, optical, medical and military aerospace.
At any one time there are over 600 live jobs on the company's shop floor.
Despite the comprehensive list of attributes that can be attributed to photochemical etching, certain features, such as very fine slots below material thickness, are beyond its capability.
To produce a 0.2mm wide slot in 0.5mm thick stainless steel, for example, the company would not hesitate to call its new Sodick AQ327L into action.
The machine's NC operator will construct a 20-25mm stack of components before pressing 'start' and leaving the AQ327L to run unattended.
In fact, Precision Micro often takes advantage of its automatic wire feed capability and leaves the machine to run overnight 'lights out'.
A material such as titanium, which is both difficult and unsafe to machine using photochemical etching, is another reason for calling upon the services of the Sodick AQ327L, as are dimensional tolerances of +/-0.002mm or tighter.
Installed and commissioned in a single day during the autumn of 2006, Taylor described the company's latest acquisition as "Very impressive - particularly in terms of its repeatability and speed".
"I would say the AQ327L is around 20% faster than our previous model.
Also, having the option to use 0.1mm diameter wire has really helped fulfil customer demands for ever-finer features." Another function of the AQ327L that gets particular praise from Precision Micro is the machine's anti-electrolysis feature, which avoids the problems associated with heat-affected zones and recast layers on the surface of titanium when undertaking wire EDM using conventional technology.
Sodick claims to have introduced the industry's first electrolysis free wire EDM thanks to nano-second discharge pulses.
The Sodick EF II system physically eliminates the condition for electrolysis (and corrosion) by utilising extremely short (nanosecond) bi-polar pulses.
Compared to the conventional wire EDMs, linear wire EDMs with EF II circuitry are 40-50% faster in machining to a target surface finish of 0.18-0.25 micron Ra.
Thanks to this feature, Precision Micro is currently undertaking rigorous trials with an aerospace customer which is considering the company's process capability as an alternative to fabricated parts that are suffering weld failures.
Although the ISO9001 and ISO14001-accredited company has origins dating back many decades, Precision Micro in its present form only surfaced three years ago following the merger of two West Midlands firms - Microponents and Micro Metallic.
Such has been the success of the amalgamation that the company is now on the verge of relocating to a GBP 7 million purpose-built facility at the new Fort Dunlop development close to the M6 motorway at Junction 5.
"I believe it's the first purpose-built photo chemical etching facility in Europe for well over a decade," said Taylor.
"It's a real statement of ambition by our young managing director.
He is driven by success and has a five-year strategic plan that centres round a policy of continuous investment.
Our new Sodick AQ327L is just the beginning.".
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