Fine detail, hardened materials, almost no cutting force. AIM’s wire EDM — also known as wire erosion — cuts intricate profiles, narrow slots and precision through-features by controlled electrical discharge rather than mechanical cutting, holding tight tolerances in materials that are difficult to machine conventionally — each part cut, measured and traced within a single controlled process in Lichfield.
Wire EDM
Precision Wire-Cut EDM
A fine, electrically charged wire removes material with almost no mechanical force on the part — so fully hardened tool steels, carbides and delicate, thin-walled or intricate features can be cut accurately, without the distortion a cutter would cause.
Submerged wire-cut EDM, holding tight profile and positional tolerances with fine, low-burr edges across the working envelope below.
Why Wire EDM
Where Wire EDM Wins
For the right feature, wire EDM does what a milling cutter cannot:
- Almost no mechanical cutting force
- Cuts fully hardened materials
- Intricate, accurate profiles
- Very narrow cutting widths
- Fine internal detail and sharp inside corners
- Tapered cutting
- Repeatable programmed profiles
- Low-burr cut edges
- No specialist form tooling needed
Accuracy
Tolerance, Finish and Edge Quality
Wire EDM holds tight positional and profile tolerances with a fine surface finish, cutting features that are difficult or impossible to hold with conventional tooling. Achievable tolerance and finish depend on material, thickness and the number of skim passes, and are confirmed against your drawing at quotation.
- Tight profile and positional tolerances
- Fine surface finish via skim passes
- Sharp internal corners to the wire radius
- Consistent results in fully hardened material
- Minimal distortion on thin or delicate parts
- Verified by first-off and CMM measurement
Materials
Materials We Cut
Wire EDM works on any electrically conductive material, regardless of hardness:
- Hardened tool steel
- Carbon steel
- Alloy steel
- Stainless steel
- Aluminium
- Titanium
- Nickel-based alloys
- Copper
- Brass
- Bronze
- Conductive carbides
Applications
What We Cut
From one-off tooling to repeat production, typical wire-EDM work includes:
- Punches and dies
- Tooling inserts
- Internal keyways
- Precision slots
- Square and rectangular openings
- Complex through-profiles
- Tapered profiles
- Hardened tool components
- Gauges and form tools
- Fine external contours
- Thin sections
- Specialist internal forms
Process
One Stage of a Traceable Route
Wire EDM is often one stage in a wider route — a component may be turned or milled, heat-treated, then EDM-cut before final inspection. AIM coordinates these stages in-house and verifies the finished part through our inspection and CMM capability, within one controlled, traceable process.
- CNC milling
- Simultaneous 5-axis machining
- CNC turning
- Precision drilling
- CMM inspection
FAQ
Wire EDM — Frequently Asked Questions
What is wire EDM (wire erosion)?
Wire EDM — also called wire erosion or spark erosion — cuts electrically conductive material with a fine, electrically charged wire. Material is removed by controlled electrical discharge rather than mechanical cutting, so there is almost no cutting force on the part. That makes it ideal for fully hardened materials and delicate, intricate features that would distort under a conventional cutter.
What size components can AIM wire-cut?
AIM accommodates workpieces up to approximately 750 × 550 × 215 mm, with controlled cutting travel of approximately 400 × 300 mm and up to 220 mm in height. Actual capacity depends on fixture arrangement, cutting access, taper requirement and start-hole position, which are confirmed at quotation.
Which materials can AIM wire EDM?
Any electrically conductive material, regardless of hardness — hardened and tool steels, carbon and alloy steels, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, nickel-based alloys, copper, brass, bronze and suitable conductive carbides.
Can wire EDM cut fully hardened material?
Yes. Because there is no mechanical cutting force, wire EDM cuts fully hardened and heat-treated material without the tool wear or distortion conventional cutting would cause. Parts are often hardened first, then EDM-cut to final size.
Can wire EDM cut tapers and complex profiles?
Yes. The machine’s U and V axes allow tapered cutting, and any programmed 2D profile — narrow slots, sharp internal corners, square openings and intricate contours — can be cut repeatably with a fine surface finish.
How is wire-EDM work inspected and documented?
Critical features are verified against the drawing first-off, during machining and at final inspection. CMM measurement, dimensional reporting and First Article Inspection (FAI) documentation are available, and inspection requirements are agreed before machining begins.