Wire Electrical Discharge Machining – High Speed VS Abrasive Waterjet - A Case Study

Technological advancement, on the one hand, made Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) much faster. One example of that is the presence of Wire Electrical Discharge Machining – High Speed (WEDM-HS) machine, which makes the material removal rate as high as 80 . On the other hand, it also made Abrasive Waterjet (AWJ) achieve much better quality surface and tighter tolerance. As a result, these two types of machining process have converged to the point where they can complement one another quite nicely in selected applications. However, it does not mean user may pick any one for their applications. The proper selection not only decreases the manufacturing costs but also achieves better quality. This paper focuses on comparing WEDM-HS with AWJ by actually cutting a special designed sample. Through comparison from several aspects which include dimension precision, surface roughness, cost, cutting time and surface damage, a proper selection guidance for regular user has been provided.