Wire EDM vs. Fineblanking: What’s Better for Your Part?
When cutting thin parts with a high degree of accuracy, fineblanking is often considered the preferred machining process.
A traditional machining method that combines regular stamping and cold-metal extrusion, fineblanking uses a hydraulic press to apply pressure on a piece of sheet metal from the top and bottom, producing cleaner blanks and tighter tolerances than traditional metal stamping.
But did you know that there’s a better alternative to fineblanking—one that is commonly overlooked because it’s less widely used than traditional machining?
Read on to learn the many advantages of the metal fabrication process known as Wire EDM.
7 Reasons Why Wire EDM Is Superior to Fineblanking
Also known as “spark machining” or “wire burning,” Wire EDM uses electrical discharge to remove material from a piece of metal very accurately.
Here’s why Arbiser Machine prefers Wire EDM at our machine shop in Georgia:
1. Minimal tooling. While fineblanking requires specialized tooling and presses to achieve the right dimensions for a part, Wire EDM machines can be calibrated to cut your parts without additional setups.
2. Cost-effective. The tooling costs associated with fineblanking can be eye-popping! Depending on the part, you’ll likely need to produce 10,000 to 50,000 parts to justify the cost of this machining process. For lower volume projects, Wire EDM is a much more cost-effective alternative.
3. Unparalleled accuracy. Wire EDM is among the most accurate technology you’ll find in the manufacturing industry today. Our Wire EDM machines have positioning and contour accuracy of +/- 2 microns (0.00008”).
4. Fast turnaround. The custom tooling that fineblanking requires inevitably slows down lead times, but Wire EDM is nearly instantaneous. Why wait 12 weeks to get started when we could begin cutting your parts on the shop floor in 12 minutes?
5. Economy of scale. Wire EDM doesn’t just cut one part at a time; rather, it can pull up to 40 pieces out simultaneously.
6. Material flexibility. Need to cut a hard material measuring 60 or above on the Rockwell C scale? Fineblanking may not be able to handle very hard materials or material that has been heat-treated. But as long as the material is capable of conducting electricity, our Wire EDM machine can handle it without a problem. This capability allows engineers to select the ideal material and treatments for their parts without worrying about what can or can’t be manufactured.
Have we convinced you yet that Wire EDM machining services are the better option for cutting parts? Upload your drawings using our secure quoting platform and let’s have a conversation about your project!