EDM micro hole drilling can deliver precise drilling solutions for single prototypes, small product sets, and large production runs.
EDM micro hole drilling is used to produce small holes through conductive materials, whether those materials are soft or hardened. The EDM drilling station bores holes by using an electrode that rotates within a chuck that has a constant flow of distilled or deionized water. This water flows through the electrode serving as a flushing agent and also as a dielectric.
In the EDM drilling process, the electrode tube functions much like the wire does in wire EDM machines. In other words, there is an electric current imparted on the rod, a spark gap where the material is removed, water flush to remove EDM debris and wear rate of the rod. Small hole drilling times vary depending on material purity, flush rate, and rod diameter.
Besides steel, other metals that can be drilled include titanium, copper, and aluminum. Conductive alloys such as bronze, brass, and carbide, as well as superalloys like Kovar, Hastelloy®, Incoloy® and others are also viable EDM drilling candidates.
You might be surprised by one of the greatest advantages of an EDM hole driller – the ability to fix customer mistakes! Customers try to drill or tap holes and push it too fast. They snap off the drill bit or tap. (There’s no risk of broken drills with EDM hole drilling.) Short of scrapping the block, we can go in with the EDM hole driller to free those taps or drill bits. It takes some work, but we plunge multiple small holes across the broken tool and then chip the remains out. Doing this can save an expensive block from being scrapped.
Disadvantages of EDM hole drillers: Size variation (we try to fix this by using multi-channel rods, but even that isn’t 100% effective) and hole roughness (they are not clean, smooth holes…they are rough and often contain slag depending on metal impurities). This is why it’s best to use a combination of small hole drilling and wire EDM to provide the best possible location, size, and finish.
How To Find An EDM Micro Hole Driller
Depending on the application, EDM micro hole drilling can outperform other drilling methods saving you time and money. But it’s always important to find a reliable and experienced partner for your projects. Doing so will help you avoid accuracy errors and other problems.
The good news is that you have already found us. At CAM Tech we have been offering quality EDM services since 1996. We have two EDM micro hole drilling stations. With these we can micro drill with electrode sizes between 0.0118-0.118″. Our EDM tables are 44.5″ x 22.5″ and can support work-piece weights of up to 1,110 pounds. In case you’re interested, table travel specifications are 29.9″ (x-axis) by 17.7″ (y-axis) by 14.1″ (z-axis).
Regardless of your needs, we can probably help with your project. EDM micro hole drilling is useful in many applications including medical devices, instrumentation, aerospace components, automotive & motorcycle components, compound & progressive stamping dies, punches & buttons, trim dies, mold components, gears & splines, carbide components, replacement parts, and prototypes. Plus, for any of your projects that need wire EDM work, we can drill the wire start holes as well.
At CAM Tech, we provide quick turnaround times while maintaining a high standard of quality. Call or email to see how we can help you with your project.