High-speed WEDM and low-speed WEDM are two different types of WEDM (Wire Electrical Discharge Machining), which are mainly used for precision processing of metal materials. The differences between them mainly reflect in these aspects, such as cutting speed, processing accuracy, processing quality and equipment cost.
High-Speed WEDM
Working principle
During machining, the electrode wire (usually molybdenum wire) moves back and forth at a relatively high speed in the processing area. The material of the workpiece is eroded by electric spark discharge, and a cut seam is formed.
Process feature
Cutting speed: The cutting speed is relatively fast and is usually between 50 and 400mm per minute, which is suitable for processing larger and thicker workpieces.
Machining accuracy: Due to the vibration caused by high-speed movement and poor stability of the wire, this leads to relatively low processing accuracy, which is generally within ±0.01-0.03mm.
Surface quality: The surface roughness is relatively high, and the Ra value is usually between 2.5 and 3.5μm. It can't meet the surface quality requirements of high-precision molds and complex parts.
Actual consumables: Molybdenum wire is usually used, it has good wear resistance and electrical conductivity, and it can be reused multiple times, so the usage cost is reduced.
Application scenarios: It is widely applied in industrial production that requires high speed, low cost and not high precision, such as rough machining of mechanical parts and cutting of parts with simple shapes, as well as blank parts, punches, shearing blades, components of pliers, etc. before milling or turning.
Low-speed WEDM
Working principle
Electrode wires (usually brass or galvanized copper wires) are used to move at a low speed in one direction on the workpiece. Through the layer-by-layer discharge of electric sparks, the material is gradually eroded, and a fine cutting surface is formed.
Process feature
Cutting speed:The cutting speed is relatively slow, usually between 0.1 and 1mm per minute. It is suitable for fine processing.
Machining accuracy:Due to the low-speed movement of electrode wire and the relatively high tension and stability of wire, so its processing accuracy
can reach ±0.001-0.005mm, which is suitable for machining high-precision parts.
Surface quality:The surface roughness is extremely low, and the Ra value can usually reach 0.2-0.8μm. It can even be processed to achieve a mirror-like effect, meeting the requirements of high-quality surfaces.
Actual consumables:The electrode wires used in slow wire cutting are usually used for single time. Although the cost of consumables increases, it ensures the processing accuracy and surface quality.
Application scenarios:It is widely applied in fields such as mold manufacturing and precision parts processing that require high precision and high surface quality. For example, the complex cavities of molds or the non-standard shape profiles of parts.