At Owens Industries, we are proud to be at the forefront of the EDM wire cutting industry. Our team of highly skilled engineers have a deep understanding of wire EDM machining and how it can be used to produce precise parts with tight tolerances. By utilizing this cutting-edge technology, we are able to offer our clients a wide range of possibilities when it comes to machining OEM parts.
In addition to wire EDM machining, we also utilize a range of other EDM and conventional machining processes in order to provide our clients with the most efficient and cost-effective solution for their needs. Whether you need a single custom component or a large production run, we have the expertise and capabilities to deliver the exact parts you require. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction is unmatched in the industry, and we look forward to working with you to produce the highest quality components possible.
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Wire EDM lends itself to some of the closest machining tolerances available today. At Owens Industries, we witness the benefits of such exact cutting with each workpiece produced from our state-of-the-art wire EDM machines. Beyond seemingly impossible cutting tolerances, wire EDM services offer additional benefits like:
Wire EDM differs slightly from conventional EDM – the spark produced in Wire EDM always takes place in deionized water (the dielectric used for Wire EDM processes). Deionized water is used in Wire EDM because of its low viscosity, high cooling and material removal rate, and because deionized water is not a fire hazard. In Wire EDM cutting, a metallic wire (typically made of brass or stratified copper) between 0.1 and 0.3 mm in diameter is used to cut or rough/skim the part being machined. The wire used never comes into physical contact with the component being machined. The process used and the specifics of that process depend on the accuracy and surface finish required. Owens Industries’ experienced EDM machinists have years, and in some cases, decades of experience properly setting up, programming and finishing EDM work from start to completion.
Ideal for machining delicate and complex parts, Wire EDM machines can be accurate to +/-1 micron and produce virtually no burrs (eliminating or greatly reducing the finished work required). Wire EDM machines are capable of machining workpieces up to 16” thick.
Wire EDM is used across a number of industries to produce precision dependent components with fast manufacturing times and repeatable accuracy, including:
Aircrafts
Military Satellites
Aerospace
Medical Devices
Optical Equipment
Tool & Die
Pharmaceutical
Food Manufacturing
Oil & GasOwens Industries serves these industries and more, consistently exceeding industry quality standards and the capabilities of normal CNC machine shops. We are happy to take on prototype or production machining work.
In addition to our Wire EDM services, we offer true rotary axis indexing Wire EDM. We teamed up with European and Japanese manufacturers to develop proprietary and highly accurate true 5-Axis Wire EDM systems, setting us apart from other CNC machine shops. Our Sink EDM capabilities complement this “unusual” talent/machine. We also offer close tolerance 5-axis CNC machining and precision lathe work to produce components requiring varied machining processes. Contact our Wire EDM professionals to learn more about our CNC machining services and what makes us your best choice for EDM work.
Wire EDM (electrical discharge machining) is a process that uses electrical sparks to remove material from a workpiece in order to create precise shapes and features. In wire EDM, a thin wire made of brass, copper, or other conductive material is strung between two spools and suspended over the workpiece. The wire is then lowered into the workpiece, and a series of electrical sparks are discharged between the wire and the workpiece to remove small amounts of material.
Wire EDM is typically used to machine hard materials, such as stainless steel and titanium, that are difficult to machine using traditional methods. It is also used to produce complex shapes and contours, as well as small, precise parts with tight tolerances. Wire EDM is widely used in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and more.
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As with all EDM machining, measured voltages between two electrodes are required to produce a current of electricity. These electrodes create a spark, generating temperatures of over 14,000°F to vaporize and erode the material being machined.
With wire EDM, voltage is sent through the wire and a current path is established between the workpiece and the wire, which serve as the two electrodes. A precise servo motor ensures a constant gap between the wire and the piece. If the wire were to touch the workpiece, a short circuit would occur, stopping the process.
In some ways, it is helpful to compare the wire EDM cutting action to that of a band saw, except the teeth of the band saw are replaced with the spark, which jumps from the wire to the workpiece nearly a million times per second to erode the material. Eroded materials shed from the workpiece are no larger than specks of dust.
Like a band saw, the thin wire is spooled and constantly fed between two computer-assisted guides. This constant spooling action provides a fresh cutting surface throughout the wire cutting process. Because the cutting action produces constant erosion of both electrodes, long lengths of wire must be used – around 11 miles long (19 km) – and spools can weigh about 18 pounds, depending on the wire’s gauge. Once the cutting dimensions are entered into the CNC machine, the process is ready to begin.
Pressurized and de-ionized water, or any dielectric fluid, provides resistance to the spark. This resistance helps to precisely control the level of voltage jumping from the wire to the workpiece, providing a consistent cut.
Unfiltered water does not work for this purpose. The minerals present in normal water act as a conductor of electricity which would mean uncontrollable cutting at lower levels of voltage. Resin tanks filter out the minerals, producing pure de-ionized water, which does not conduct electricity under normal circumstances. Only after enough voltage is applied will dielectric fluid ionize to conduct a current.
Dielectric water also serves to flush any shed material from the environment, ensuring a clean cut.
The expert CNC machinists at Owens Industries use the latest technology in Swiss lathes to manufacture parts for a wide variety of industries. The CNC Swiss machined parts from Owens Industries are always made with the tightest tolerances and highest accuracy, ensuring your component is made to your exact specifications.
Since wire EDM machining is used to manufacture the most delicate and complex parts, our CNC Swiss precision lathes are the best machines to use for the most exact components. Our machines are capable of making parts up to 16” thick, but they are ideal for manufacturing tiny components accurate to +/-1 micron. With specially calibrated parts and laser alignment, our wire EDM cutting process is the best you’ll find in the CNC machining industry.
Some of the capabilities of our CNC Swiss machining lathes include:
Our Swiss machining capabilities surpass industry standards for wire EDM services. Contact the professionals at Owens Industries to learn more about our precision part manufacturing.
Medical technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, requiring the CNC industry to advance right alongside it. Manufacturers producing medical devices, implants, and surgical components of micron sizes or with intricate details choose wire EDM to get the job done right. Capable of cutting a multitude of materials – including titanium, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, Inconel, Kovar, carbide and more – wire EDM is preferred over other machining techniques for its ability to quickly produce medical components with repeatable accuracy and measurable results. If you’re looking for a machine shop offering wire EDM, before wasting money and time, make sure they can actually meet your needs. The proper equipment is important but qualified, experienced CNC programmers and engineers are a must when working on delicate medical products.
| Part | Application | Industry | Material | Specific Feature |
| Spray Nozzle | Urethane Application | Automotive | AISI 316 Stainless Steel | Locating Spray Slot within 0.0005" |
| Inner Diaphragm | Hydraulic Flow | Energy Research | 6Al-4v Grade 5 Titanium | 4" Diameter Cylinder with 0.008" Thick Wall |
| Actuator, Arm | Night Vision Goggles | Military | 17-4PH Stainless Steel Cond A | 20 Tooth Ratchet Profile |
| Torsion Spring Pin Retainer | Retention Cap | Oil & Gas | 13CR-L80 NACE MR0175 | EDM Wire Curved Profile |
| Hex Stop | Shaft Control Component | Oil & Gas | 4330 V MOD Steel | Matched Sets of Hexagon Rings |
| Aperture Plate | Laser Alignment | Energy | Tungsten Nickel Alloy | 250 Micron Thru Holes |
| Flexure | Electronic Control | Research and Development | AISI 303 Stainless Steel | EDM Wire 0.015" Wide Slot |
| Spreader Tweaker | Pick and Place Device | Circuit Board Manufacturing | M2 Tool Steel | Fine Wire EDM Cut |
| Plenum Base | Fuel Flow | Military | 6LA-4v Titanium per AMS 4928 | Machine 0.010" Thick Tube Wall |
| Bottom Clamp | Microwave Reader | Research and Development | Glidcop AL-15 | 000-120 Threaded Holes |
Owens Industries serves companies nationwide with top-of-the-line Wire EDM services, providing micro precision components for a multitude of industries – aircraft, aerospace, military, fiber optics, energy, medical and more. Among our precision CNC machining processes, Wire EDM stands out as one of the more intricate, with capabilities including long continuous cuts and narrow grooves. The more complex the product demands, the more ideal for Wire EDM. With no cutting force, EDM operates on flawless manufacturing, as the tolerance remains unchanged. There is no downtime for tool changing either, saving time in turn-around. The benefits of Wire EDM give Owens an edge in the CNC machining industry, promising clients ultra-precision micro-cutting with measurable results.
