How do I save money on EDM Wire?
This is one of the most common questions we hear at EDM Tech Center. “How do I save money on EDM wire” or “do we have any cheaper EDM wires.” One of the biggest costs involved in running a wire EDM machine is the cost of the wire. However there are a number of different aspects involved in saving money on EDM wire and getting the best use out of your wire from start to finish. In this tech tip we will talk about things to look at when trying to save money on EDM wire.
Wire Cost: When it comes to the actual cost of the EDM wire many things come into play. First, EDM wire’s price is affected by raw material cost. The price will constantly fluctuate up and down depending on supply and demand. With wire being made up of roughly 60% copper, making this the biggest determining factor in wire pricing. Wire quality is another big aspect when it comes to wire cost. Comparing cost of .010” hard brass on 11 lb spools there may be up to $25 per roll price range, the difference is in wire quality.
Wire Cost vs. Wire Performance: When comparing the cost of your current wire to other wires it is critical to take into consideration wire performance. Not all EDM machines run wire the same. Some machines accept almost any wire and some machines only run best on a few specific wires. It all comes down to your specific requirements. Savings made by using a low cost economy wire may be squandered if you have trouble with wire breaks, threading or dirt build up requiring down time to clean the
wire path. It’s best to try a variety of wires until you settle on a brand that runs virtually problem free on your machine. This is why we stock 7 different brands and countless different variations of EDM wire.
Wire Scrap: Another way to lower the overall cost of your EDM wire is to shop around and make sure you are getting the most money for your scrap wire. Occasionally you can regain 30-40% of your wire cost in scrap. Provided you have the space, storing your wire and waiting for the price to come up before bringing it in for scrap can help the bottom line.
High Speed Coated Wires: A coated EDM wire will help increase your cutting speed by as much as 10-30%, depending on the cutting condition. Coatings can be a variety of different materials. The most common coating is Zinc. These wires are not perfect for every application but in a shop where machine time is an issue or your cutting conditions are poor, coated wires can help get more production out the door. Coated EDM wires usually come with a higher price but when needed they are a very popular option.
If you have additional questions, need help finding a wire, or are looking for a new wire for your EDM, feel free to contact us anytime.
Wire Brands we currently carry: Hitachi, OKI, Bedra, Alternative, Apex, Checkered Flag, DeutschCut