Wire EDM Machines

A wire EDM machine is an industrial cutting system designed to shape highly precise structures and profiles into metal plates. These machines are essential for producing injection moulds, press moulds, and dies – making them indispensable in mass production across metal forming and plastics manufacturing.

• Cuts complex, highly precise shapes and structures into metal with exceptional accuracy
• Material is removed from a workpiece using a conductive wire and high-intensity electrical current
• Operation requires specialist training and should only be carried out by qualified experts

Since the discovery of electricity, it has been known that sparks can leave marks on metal surfaces. The cutting effect of electric arcs was first studied in detail in 1770 by British scientist Joseph Priestley. The idea of putting this phenomenon to practical use emerged more than 170 years later, when two Russian brothers – B.R. and N.I. Lazarenko – investigated electrical discharge as a new method for processing metal surfaces, establishing the technological foundation for modern EDM.

The first wire EDM machine became commercially available in 1969, and the technology has since become a standard piece of equipment in industrial workshops and tool manufacturing facilities worldwide.

ONA Wire EDM machine in use

Wire EDM (electrical discharge machining) is essentially the opposite of build-up welding. Rather than adding material to a workpiece, the process removes it using a wire electrode and high electrical current. Material is extracted through electrical evaporation within a precisely controlled gap – and while this generates visible sparks, they have no damaging effect on the workpiece surface.

The wire and workpiece carry opposite electrical charges. Material removal occurs wherever the gap between anode and cathode is smallest, which is what allows highly precise contours to be machined. To prevent burn damage to both the wire and the workpiece, the entire erosion process takes place in a conductive liquid medium.

Operating a wire EDM machine demands considerable expertise. Producing accurately eroded components requires operators with several years of specialist training or extensive hands-on experience – this is not a process suited to untrained personnel.

The cutting wire can be fixed onto a 5-axis head, enabling the erosion of highly complex forms. This makes wire EDM machines well suited to mass production of intricate, technically demanding components.

Despite the complexity involved and the specialist knowledge required, wire EDM machines offer greater efficiency than CNC milling machines for toolmaking applications. A key advantage is the contact-free erosion process – no wear and tear occurs on the machining equipment beyond the cutting wire itself. This also means that workability depends entirely on the material properties of the workpiece, particularly its hardness.

Wire EDM machines are produced by some of the most respected names in precision manufacturing. The most well-known manufacturers include FANUC, Charmilles, Mitsubishi, and AGIE – each offering a range of machines renowned for their accuracy, reliability, and advanced cutting capabilities.