Wire EDM services allow electrically conductive materials to be precision-cut with perfect accuracy and repeatability. This revolutionary manufacturing method has been used commercially for decades now, inevitably becoming perfected to an art.
Here are some insights into the evolution that eventually led to the commercialization of wire EDM machining services:
The Discovery of EDM
Scientist, theologian, chemist, philosopher and political theorist Joseph Priestley is well known for his study of electricity and gasses, most famously discovering “a new species of air”—oxygen.
His series of electrical and chemical experiments eventually lead to the discovery that electrical discharge could erode metals. This was fundamental in the future applications of EDM.
Early Developments in EDM
The world’s first EDM machines were developed in 1943 by scientists B.R. Lazarenko and N.I. Lazarenko in what was then the Soviet Union. They found that by submerging electrodes in dielectric fluid, they could control erosion from electrical discharge and create a desired shape without the workpiece making any contact with the tool.
The Commercialization of Wire EDM Machining Services
While Russian scientists were developing their R-C-type EDM machine, American engineers were advancing the technology with experiments of their own. This eventually led to the creation of machines that produced thousands of sparks per second and were able to cut through metal efficiently.
In 1967, the Soviet Union developed the first commercial EDM machine that used wire as an electrode. As time progressed, more and more manufacturers began to see the benefits of wire EDM technology, eventually perfecting the machinery through automation.
American Wire EDM Services
Since 1985, American Wire EDM has been providing EDM solutions to customers across any industry imaginable. Our 12,000 square foot facility in Orange, California manufactures even the most unique precise parts with perfect accuracy and repeatability.
We can help you take your project from prototype to market efficiently and cost-effectively— request a quote to see how our wire EDM machining services can benefit you.