An Important CNC Process - Electrical Discharge Machining

In the field of precision mold manufacturing, with the increasing complexity and refinement of product functions, higher requirements have been put forward for the accuracy, surface quality, and processing ability of complex shapes of molds. Traditional processing methods often struggle when dealing with molds made of high - hardness, high - toughness materials and those with fine structures and complex cavities. Electrical discharge machining (EDM) technology, with its unique processing principle and advantages, has become a key process to solve these problems and is widely used in industries such as mold manufacturing, aerospace, and electronics.

Technical Advantages

Processing High - Hardness Materials

EDM is not limited by the hardness of materials and can easily process high - hardness materials that are difficult to handle with traditional mechanical processing, such as cemented carbide and quenched steel. In mold manufacturing, many molds need to use cemented carbide to improve wear resistance and service life. EDM can precisely process the shape and size of the mold, ensuring its accuracy and performance.

Processing Complex Shapes

For mold cavities with complex shapes and fine structures, EDM has unique advantages. Through numerical control programming, the electrode can be processed according to the preset trajectory, and various complex shapes such as special - shaped holes, narrow slits, and curved surfaces can be processed. For example, in the processing of complex cavities of injection molds, EDM can accurately replicate the shape of the electrode, ensuring the molding quality of the mold.

High Processing Accuracy

EDM can achieve high processing accuracy. Generally, the dimensional accuracy can reach ±0.01 - 0.05mm, and the surface roughness Ra value can reach 0.4 - 1.6μm. In precision mold manufacturing, it can meet the strict requirements for mold accuracy and surface quality, ensuring that the products produced by the mold have good dimensional accuracy and appearance quality.

Technical Disadvantages

Slow Processing Speed

Compared with some traditional processing technologies, the processing speed of EDM is relatively slow. This is because EDM removes materials through the discharge corrosion between the electrode and the workpiece, and the processing efficiency is limited to a certain extent. In mass production, it may take a long processing time, which affects the production cycle.

Electrode Wear Problem

During the EDM process, the electrode will continuously wear. To ensure processing accuracy, the electrode needs to be replaced regularly or trimmed, which increases the processing cost and time. At the same time, the electrode wear also has a certain impact on the processing accuracy, which requires precise control and compensation.

Troublesome Working Fluid Treatment

EDM requires the use of working fluids (such as kerosene and deionized water) for cooling, chip removal, and insulation. The working fluid will be contaminated during use and needs to be replaced and treated regularly; otherwise, it will affect the processing quality and the normal operation of the equipment. The treatment of working fluid not only increases the production cost but also has a certain impact on the environment.

Customer Selection Suggestions

Precision Mold Manufacturing Enterprises

When manufacturing precision molds such as injection molds and die - casting molds, EDM can meet the processing requirements for complex shapes, high - hardness materials, and high precision of molds. For example, large - scale mold manufacturing enterprises such as Foxconn widely use EDM technology in mold processing to ensure the quality and accuracy of molds, thereby producing high - quality electronic product casings, automotive parts, and other products.

Aerospace Component Manufacturing Enterprises

Components in the aerospace field often have complex shapes and high - hardness material requirements. EDM can process complex shapes of components such as aero - engine blades and aerospace molds, ensuring their accuracy and performance and meeting the strict requirements of the aerospace industry for component quality.

High - End Electronic Equipment Manufacturing Enterprises

In the manufacturing of high - end electronic equipment, such as chip packaging molds and precision electronic connector molds, the requirements for mold accuracy and surface quality are extremely high. EDM can process the fine structures and high - precision dimensions of these molds, ensuring the performance and reliability of electronic equipment.