The new MA series of wire-cut EDM machines from the Japanese manufacturer Seibu has been designed to reduce energy consumption, as well as improve productivity, service life and operator ease of use.
These machines also offer a cutting accuracy of ±3µm and a wire-diameter capacity of 0.1-0.3mm. Sitting between the smaller M35A and the larger M75A machines, the M50A provides a working envelope of 800 x 650 x 300mm and accommodates workpieces weighing up to 800kg — all within a footprint of 2,235 x 2,400mm.
Some of the features that appear as optional extras on the new M50A — available from CNC International, Ross-on-Wye (
www.cncinternational.co.uk) — include a Core Stitch function; instead of leaving a tag, the Seibu machine (using brass wire) ‘welds’ the core in place as it is cutting, so the operator only has to tap the core to remove it.
EL Coating is another new technology on the Seibu machine; a coating on the brass wire prevents cobalt (Co) from dissolving in the water when machining tungsten carbide (under normal conditions, the cobalt (binder) in this material starts to dissolve in water).
Another feature of the Seibu M50A is Thermal Adjust 24; this maintains the vertical positioning of the wire by correcting any thermal displacement caused by a temperature difference between the upper and lower heads.
Also featured are automatic wire feeding, and the continuous passing of an annealing current through the wire to keep it straight and enhance the feeding process.
The M50A also has a round diamond die guide that improves precision, while a jet feed guide flushes water from the upper nozzle to improve the feed rates that can be used.