Makino White Paper: Save with Lower Wire Consumption EDM

Big Savings with Lower Wire Consumption
Published: February 2010

An important component of any wire EDM machine purchase is its wire consumption rate. While
the upfront cost of a wire EDM machine carries a certain price tag, the single highest expense
through the life of the machine is wire. By investing in a low wire consumption EDM,
manufacturers can save money on wire expenses that meet or exceed half the cost of the
machine itself. Through faster ROI, lower cost per part and fewer consumable purchases,
reduced wire consumption can enable manufacturers to worry less about paying off investments
and more about increasing their competitive stance.

Investing in a low wire consumption EDM doesn’t require a sacrifice in machining speed or
accuracy. Several EDM shops across North America are achieving faster cutting and increased
accuracy in addition to lower wire consumption.

According to Jeff Kiszonas, EDM product manager for Makino, most EDM advancements in the
past decade have focused primarily on increasing machining speed without reducing accuracy;
however, with the right technology, an EDM machine can sustain both while consuming less
wire. Kiszonas states that Makino is able to reduce unspooling speeds by relying on their
machine’s mechanical precision and advanced wire transport and tensioning system.

Lower wire consumption also means “greener” operations. By reducing wire consumption and
slashing cycle times, manufacturers can benefit from sustainable, operational cost cuts. The
combination of these high-performance capabilities provide reduced wire scrap rates, increased
energy efficiency and extended life cycles for a machine’s guide, filtration and de-ionizing resin
systems. Over the life cycle of a WEDM, these qualities can mean huge saving to manufacturers’
wallets as well as the environment.

Makino Wire Consumption Testing

Makino recently conducted a wire consumption study and compared the performance of their
DUO64 wire EDM with a comparable model EDM at a real-world shop that owned both
machines. The study compared each platform based on wire consumption, speed and accuracy.
The workpiece tested was H-13 tool steel at 32-34 HRc and measured 3 inches thick. Required
geometries for the workpiece included a 0.500-inch-diameter hole with a ±0.0002-inch tolerance
and a 40 micro-inch Ra surface finish.

With top and bottom flushing nozzles sealed, 0.012-inch plain brass wire was used in both
machines. Program settings for both machines were out-of-the-box, unmodified code generated
by the onboard programming systems. Settings were not adjusted by operators to optimize
performance, and no operator intervention took place during the cut cycles.
Based on the required specifications, both machines performed virtually the same in terms of
accuracy and speed. Where the machines differed was in wire consumption.

The second EDM consumed 758.77 yards (0.927 pounds) of wire, nearly 55 percent more than
the DUO64’s consumption of 341.27 yards (0.417 pounds). These results indicate that the
DUO64 consumed 0.51 pounds of wire per hour, while the other EDM used 1.16 pounds per
hour.

Running at 2,000 hours per year, the other EDM machine would use 2,320 pounds of wire,
which, at an average plain brass wire pricing of $5 per pound, equals approximately $11,600 a
year. This means the other test machine costs $6,500 more per year to operate in wire cost
alone. Over a five-year finance or lease term, the DUO saves about $32,500 in wire expense in
comparison.

Shop-Floor Testimonies

Vanderhorst Brothers Industries of Simi Valley, Calif., verifies the significance of wire
consumption, stating that their purchase of a Makino DUO43 reduced wire consumption by 30
percent to 35 percent compared to their previous machinery. According to company President
Bill O’Rell, Vanderhorst Brothers Industries has also benefited from reduced scrap rates and
more reliable auto-threading capabilities.

Similar results have been demonstrated at Hudson Technologies of Ormond Beach, Fla., where
Tool Room Coordinator David Brennan recorded the change in wire purchases from October
2007, when they invested in a Makino WEDM, to October 2008.
Brennan states that one year of wire for their previous equipment required 55 spools of 35-
pound 0.010-inch plain brass wire, which equated to $10,450 per year. Using the same wire in
22-pound spools, Brennan now records purchases of only 38 spools with a price difference of
$71 per spool. Additionally, Hudson Technologies reports that that Makino ran an average of 27
additional hours each week. By Brennan’s estimates, the company saved approximately
$13,000 in wire alone for 2009.

Hudson Technologies also reports that overall EDM performance has improved with a 30
percent increase in speed and surface finishes that require no manual labor.
In Columbia, Pa., Intricate EDM shop owner Tom Frick has been tracking wire consumption for
several years. He states that his first significant change in wire consumption came after the
purchase of a Makino SP43 EDM in the spring of 2006. Frick says that he began to see a 30
percent to 35 percent reduction in wire consumption over his previous WEDMs.

In July 2008, Intricate EDM purchased a DUO43 and found an additional 10 percent to 15
percent reduction in wire usage even over the SP43, adding up to more than a 50 percent
reduction in wire consumption compared to his older WEDM. Frick is currently recording an
average between 66 and 68 hours of machining on one 35-pound spool, along with a 40 percent
increase in cutting speed and greater straightness accuracies in his taller workpieces.

Machining Unattended

Reducing wire consumption also provides increased productivity through reliable unattended
machining. Frick boasts that with unattended WEDM machining, he is able to visit customers,
gather quotes, respond to calls promptly, program additional applications, tend to other
equipment and run the machine overnight for an additional six to eight hours, nearly doubling his
shop’s productivity and reducing machining costs.

On a recent order, Frick recalls rough cutting a set of 2.5-inch-thick steel parts over the
weekend for 60 hours using only one spool without any cleaning or other maintenance. All rough
cutting was completed thoroughly, and the parts were ready for finishing operations on Monday
morning.

Brennan also commented on unattended capabilities, stating that his lead-times have dropped
from 12 weeks to just four by running unattended over weeknights and some weekends.
Looking back at the previous Makino study, the results remain similar to those demonstrated on
the shop floor. With an unspooling rate of 0.51 pounds per hour, the DUO can accomplish 68.6
hours of machining time, while the other test machine’s 1.16-pound-per-hour rate limits it to 38
hours of machining time using a 44-pound spool.

Gaining the Edge

Manufacturers are continually looking for ways to reduce costs and increase productivity. By
investing in a low wire consumption EDM, manufacturers can achieve faster ROI, reduce
monthly expenditures and, with the right technology, improve cycle times, part quality and gain
unattended machining capabilities.

In an environment where many don’t yet recognize the full benefits of reduced wire
consumption, manufacturers who shop for this quality in a wire EDM can gain the competitive
edge that places them a step above the rest.

Jeff Kiszonas
EDM Project Manager, Makino
(248) 232 - 6208
jeff.kiszonas@makino.com
For more information, please visit http://www.makino.com