Adam Master, spark
erosion manager at
Excel Precision Group,
at the controls of one
of the company’s new
Sodick machines
Cooking up
an electrical storm
Aerospace subcontractor opts for Sodick; mould shop installs Mitsubishi; automotive specialist prefers
ONA. Steed Webzell rounds up the latest EDM installations of note
Excel Precision Group has enhanced its
wire and spark erosion capabilities by
acquiring two new Sodick machines
from Sodi-Tech EDM (https://is.gd/muvegi).
The Sodick ALC600G wire-cut EDM and
AG60L die-sink EDM have been installed at
the company’s Gloucester facility, which has
AS9100 rev D and NADCAP AC7116/3 Rev
B approval in place for both spark and wire
erosion.
“Few EDM subcontractors have both
AS9100 and NADCAP,” states Steve Batt,
operations director at the Gloucester facility.
“In addition, we currently hold company
approvals from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce,
Goodrich, Safran Landing Systems, Dowty
Propellers, Messier Dowty, MT Satellite,
GE Aviation, Moog Aircraft Group, UTC
Aerospace Systems, Mettis Aerospace and
Triumph Actuation Systems.”
Along with the need to replace older
machines, part of the reason behind the
company’s investment in Sodick technology
was due to the imminent ramp-up of an
existing defence contract that is currently
scheduled to run until 2022. An NDA has
been signed, so details are scant, but the
parts involve the intricate wire erosion of
titanium stock.
“We looked at both Sodick and our
existing supplier of EDM machines, but the
test cuts provided by Sodi-Tech EDM were
simply better,” states Batt.
AEROSPACE PARTS
Excel Precision’s AG60L has been set to
work producing a variety of aerospace parts,
including stainless steel actuator
components. The other Sodick machine, the
ALC600G wire EDM, has around 50% of its
output sent to aerospace customers,
including the titanium defence part.
“Compared with our old machines and
process, using the ALC600G has
transformed our operation for this
component,” says Batt. “For a start, we
previously needed two machines, whereas
now the part is completed in its entirety on
the ALC600G. Also, our old machine would
only achieve a 90% pass rate on an angled
EDM & ECM THAT SINKING FEELING
face with a 5 micron tolerance. With the
Sodick, the pass rate is 100%.”
Excel Precision is currently tasked with
producing 200 of the titanium defence parts
every month, although this gure will shortly
rise to 600.
“While we didn’t buy the machines for
speed, it’s dif cult not to notice the gains
we’ve achieved,” says Batt. “The titanium
defence part previously had a cycle time of
65 minutes, but it’s completed in just 35
minutes on the ALC600G wire EDM, a 46%
improvement. As for the AG60L die-sink
machine, the result we get, particularly on
deep cavities, is like nothing we’ve seen
before.”
The Sodick AG60L die-sink EDM offers
travels in the X-, Y- and Z-axis of 600 by 420
by 370 mm, respectively, while the
ALC600G wire EDM provides 600 by 400
by 350 mm.
The story is similar at Mattighofen,
Austria-based GBM Kunststofftechnik und
Formenbau GmbH, a mould shop where a
newly installed Mitsubishi MV2400R
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