Advantages and Disadvantages
Some of the advantages of EDM include machining of:
- Complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult to produce with conventional cutting tools
- Extremely hard material to very close tolerances
- Very small work pieces where conventional cutting tools may damage the part from excess cutting tool pressure.
- There is no direct contact between tool and work piece. Therefore delicate sections and weak materials can be machined without any distortion.
- A good surface finish can be obtained.
- Very fine holes can be easily drilled.
Some of the disadvantages of EDM include:
- The slow rate of material removal.
- The additional time and cost used for creating electrodes for ram/sinker EDM.
- Reproducing sharp corners on the workpiece is difficult due to electrode wear.
- Specific power consumption is very high.
- Power consumption is high.
- "Overcut" is formed.
- Excessive tool wear occurs during machining.
- Electrically non-conductive materials can be machined only with specific set-up of the process.
Read more about this topic: Electrical Discharge Machining
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