West Midlands-based A&M EDM’s first-ever wire erosion machine has reached the end of its working life; it is being decommissioned for spare parts, after 17 years of non-stop use (www.amedm.co.uk).

The company was established in Smethwick in October 2002 with two people, and its first purchase was the
Sodick A325 CNC wire eroder.

A&M co-founder Arthur Watts remembers the first time he used the machine — to make wire jigs and fixtures for a manual hole burner that is still in use today.

“Decommissioning the A325 is a milestone for us; it has been a consistent performer right up to its ‘retirement’ — throughout A&M’s growth to our current 29 EDM spark and wire erosion machines, sales of over £6 million and 70 staff.”

The company estimates that the machine has repaid its purchase price many times over and has used over 30,000 miles of wire in its working life.

It has spent an average cutting time of over 4,000hr in each of its 17 years of operation on thousands of jobs, ranging from simple heading dies to precision aerospace and motor-sport components.

“When we bought the A325, it was a top-of-the-range wire eroder that could hold its own against any competitors. Sodick’s machines have continually improved, so its replacement is a new Sodick ALC600G.”

Chris Hellyer, sales director at Warwick-based Sodi-Tech EDM Ltd (www.sodi-techedm.co.uk), which is the UK distributor of Sodick machines, said: “During our 17-year partnership, Sodick has supplied 40 high-quality electrical discharge machines to A&M, which consistently invests in the latest technology.

“The A325 being productive for so long is a testament to its build quality.”