Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
Component Engineers Inc. Increases its Wire EDM Department to 15 Centers in Operation
WALLINGFORD, CT. - June 24, 2008- Component Engineers Inc. (CEI) is pleased to announce the addition of six new state-of-the-art Fanuc a-0iD Wire EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) machines purchased from Methods Machine Tools of Sudbury, MA. This increases the Wire EDM Department to a total of 15 centers in operation. CEI is now one of the largest Wire EDM production houses in the northeast.
Wire EDM machines are used to cut conductive metals of any hardness or that are difficult or impossible to cut with traditional methods. The machines also specialize in cutting complex contours or fragile geometries that would be difficult to produce using conventional cutting methods. By utilizing this method of fabrication, CEI is able to handle many manufacturing challenges in the medical, automotive, electronic, industrial, military, aerospace, and other commercial industries.
Wire EDM utilizes a brass or zinc coated wire and electrically discharges the wire to follow a preprogrammed path of geometry to fabricate metal alloy parts. The wire, comparable in size to a single strand of human hair, is run through the material to be cut. The machine generates an electrical discharge, like that of lightning, between the wire and the material. This rapid series of repetitive electrical discharge pulses fashion successively deeper craters in the material until the final shape is produced. A continuous flow of deionized water washes away the material that is removed from the work piece with high pressure pumps. The amount of metal removed from the EDM process fluctuates relative to the thickness of the work piece.
With the metal fabrication market on the rise, CEI recognized the importance in increasing its Wire EDM Department so that it could continue to support existing customers, while welcoming new customers and projects. The additional capacity also introduces the latest technology into its Wallingford based facility.
"After several months of visiting other area manufacturers and reviewing alternate machines tools, I felt the new Fanuc a-0iD machines would be the "Swiss Army Knife" of machines," states Ron Hansen Jr, President and CEO of CEI. "We needed a machine tool that would be a competent production machine for our tube fabrication division and service the needs of our in-house R&D and Tool & Die divisions. Since installation, the impact on our company's throughput has been truly overwhelming," explains Hansen.
The new state-of-the-art technology includes the latest version of operational software, touch screen technology, integrated corner control, and faster threading. The Fanuc brand offers high reliability, excellent operability, and economic efficiency. These are just some of the new capabilities responsible for the increased throughput and improved precision. Combined with the existing technologies and highly experienced team of Wire EDM programmers and operators, CEI is a leader in contract manufacturing for any Wire EDM challenge.
For additional information on Component Engineers, Inc., please visit .ComponentENG.com.
