Ultra-precise wire cut EDM - European or Japanese?

trying to export bomb triggers or something?

Certainly not- nothing remotely harmful at all- quite beneficial to humans, in fact (though tree huggers may not agree). Just another way to find stuff that could be of value.

I was just joking. It's too bad europeans are too lazy to work and any parts coming back from japan will be radioactive.

How about Australian companies?

When we needed this type of capability we went to the EDM equipment mfrs for leads and came up with this, unfortunately, Arizona based shop. But it might be worth a call on the off chance they have a relationship with someone in Japan or Europe. Very nice folks, and they did a great job on some very difficult parts. Or call the EDM suppliers and ask who's buying their fanciest stuff.

The only thing I can think of is to call the US executive offices of Agie, Mitsubishi, or Sodick, and ask for a contact in their home countries who can help. You'll find plenty of English-language speakers at the home offices of all three.

Are you familiar with the capabilities of EDM? 25 nanometers is roughly one microinch. Depending on how many nanometers you're talking about, you may be a bit outside of the envelope.

Too bad you can't use a US vendor. For exotics and top-notch EDM work, I'd recommend these guys:

They pioneered wirecut EDMing of foamed titatanium and they work in a variety of superalloys, doing a lot of critical medical-device work. Just how exotic is the material you're talking about?

Speaking of Australian companies, I've been told these guys below do some very good wire cut gears etc. Not sure how fine their tolerances can be.

That sounds like a good approach. Ned Simmons also suggested going through the machine manufacturers. Thanks to both.

Thanks. There may be some other work we can send them.

Not super exotic- Nb and Ti pure and alloy.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Hmmm. I wonder if there's *anyone* who has experience EDMing niobium. With a melting point of 2477 C (4500 F), that could be very interesting. Titatnium, however, is EDMed successfully in various applications.

Anyway, good luck. It certainly sounds interesting. EDMing anything in the sub-micron accuracy range is a challenge, and probably will require some testing and experimentation.

It doesn't seem to be a problem. I've designed many tungsten (MP

The fixtures I spoke of in my other post had tolerances down in the low micron range. In that case the hurdle was not so much the tolerances as the length and size of the features. The parts have numerous deep slots as narrow as .040 mm x 25mm long, which requires running small wire with a relatively large spacing between the guides. I believe they were being made on Mitsubishi machines.

Right. It's not that they can't be EDMed (Sumitomo even makes, or made, a conductive ceramic that can be EDMed), but the speed, settings, overburn and wire reaction (and deflection) get tricky with refractory metals. Superalloys and other refractory materials have been wire-EDMed for decades, but I suspect that pure niobium is a very rare one, if anyone does it at all.

That one sounds very tough, although, if the wire parh is straight down those slots, that makes it a lot easier. The wire will bow, or deflect, quite a bit, lagging in the middle, but it still cuts straight along straight lines.

It's not unheard of. I know at least four places that have done it successfully to a relatively high standard. As you say, it is going to take time to optimize the setup.

It's nasty to machine conventionally. I'm told, gummy like copper.

Long time ago I designed a sub arc second pointing system. I found out with really tight dimensions all sorts of usually not thought about issues pop up.

Things like thermal expansion, internal stress, modal vibration and loading stress.

If edm doesn=92t work out you might try oversize edm then ion milling or chem etch to bring the part into tolerance.

Sounds like a fun project.