Materials for EDM & Wire Cutting

Our advanced EDM and Wire Cutting services are designed exclusively for conductive metals. We specialize in machining the hardest and toughest alloys with extreme precision, creating features impossible with conventional cutting.

The One Rule: Electrical Conductivity

Unlike traditional machining where material hardness is the main challenge, for EDM and Wire Cutting, the primary requirement is that the material must be electrically conductive. The process works by creating a controlled electrical spark to erode the material, so non-conductive materials like most plastics and ceramics cannot be processed with EDM.

From Hardened Tool Steels to Exotic Alloys

We leverage our EDM capabilities to precisely shape the world's most challenging metals.

Tool Steel (A2, D2, S7, H13, P20)

Our Primary Application. EDM is the premier method for machining tool steels after they have been hardened. This allows us to create the ultra-precise, sharp-cornered cavities and features required for injection molds and stamping dies without the risk of deforming the hardened material.

Titanium (Grade 5)

While machinable with CNC, intricate internal features or delicate thin-walled sections on titanium parts are often best created with Wire EDM. The stress-free nature of the process prevents warping and ensures the highest possible precision.

Stainless Steel (All Grades)

For medical instruments or complex components made from stainless steel, Wire EDM is used to create features like tiny slots, sharp internal splines, or complex cutouts that would be impossible to mill.

Copper & Graphite

These materials are not typically the final workpiece, but are expertly machined by our team to create the custom electrodes used in the Sinker EDM process. Our ability to precisely machine these electrodes is key to the final accuracy of the mold cavity.

Specialty Alloys (e.g., Inconel)

For exotic, hard-to-machine superalloys used in aerospace and energy, EDM provides a reliable method for creating complex cooling channels and other features without introducing mechanical stress.

A Thermal Process, Not a Mechanical One

Understanding why EDM is so effective for hard materials is key to leveraging its power.

Traditional CNC Machining (Mechanical)

  • Relies on a physically harder cutting tool to shear material away.
  • Generates significant force, heat, and stress.
  • Struggles with materials harder than the tool itself.

EDM / Wire Cutting (Thermal)

  • Relies on a controlled electrical spark to melt and vaporize microscopic particles of material.
  • The electrode/wire never touches the workpiece, resulting in a stress-free process.
  • Hardness is irrelevant—we can cut materials harder than any cutting tool.