Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a metal-working process whereby material is removed from a conductive work piece by electrical erosion. Wire EDM has rapidly become a key component in many industries – molding components, stamping dies, prototyping, aerospace and medical.
EDM is particularly well suited for parts which are made from materials that are difficult to machine and/or contain small or odd-shaped angles, intricate cavities or intricate contours. Think of it as reverse welding. With welding, you use an electric current to add material. Here we use an electric current to remove material.
At times you may hear wire EDM referred to as spark machining, spark eroding, wire erosion, wire burning, or die sinking. These are all descriptions of the same manufacturing process.