ICTM Collaborative R&D 2020

Productivity Benchmark for Wire-EDM of Fir Tree Slots with 0.4 mm Electrodes

© Fraunhofer IPT

How high is the productivity and the machined white layer thickness by using a 0.4 mm wire?

 

Challenge and Motivation

  • The manufacture of fir tree slots by broaching causes very high tooling costs. 
  • Wire-EDM has been investigated and validated as an alternative manufacturing process by using only 0.25 mm wire electrodes.
  • With an increased productivity of the wire-EDM process, the roughing of fir tree slots can be more cost-effective compared to broaching.

Objective

  • Investigations on increasing productivity by using a 0.4 mm wire electrode for the manufacture of fir tree slots and the machined surface quality.