Wire EDM Services for Hardened and Hard-to-Machine Parts
Send a drawing of the part. We check that it can be cut as drawn, quote within 24 business hours, have it cut at a partner shop, inspect it and ship it. You deal with one company.
How it works
Send the drawing
A STEP or DXF file plus a PDF drawing with tolerances, material and hardness. Tell us the quantity and when you need it.
We review and quote
We check wire access, start holes, corner radii and material state, then send one quote within 24 business hours. If something cannot be cut as drawn, we say so before you order.
We get it cut, check it and ship
You place one purchase order with us. A partner shop with the right machine cuts the part. We inspect it before packing and ship it with our documents.
Why order wire EDM here
We only do wire EDM
One process, every day. We know what wire diameter a corner needs, when a part needs skim passes and when it should be milled instead.
The drawing is read before the price is written
Most wire EDM problems are visible on the drawing: no start hole, a radius smaller than the wire, a blind feature. We raise them in the quote, not after the cut.
One company answers for the order
You do not manage a shop. You have one quote, one PO and one invoice with us, and we answer for the part that arrives.
Does your part need wire EDM?
Tick what applies to your part. The answer shows here in your browser. Nothing is sent.
Strong fit for wire EDM
Send the drawing. This is the kind of part the process is for.
Possible fit
Wire EDM may be one step among others. Send the drawing and we tell you which features it suits.
Probably a milling or laser job
If nothing here applies, another process is likely cheaper. You can still send the drawing for a second opinion.
- Blind pockets and cavities. The wire must pass through the part. That is sinker EDM work.
- Ceramics, plastics, glass and other materials that do not conduct electricity.
Wire EDM, milling or sinker EDM
| Wire EDM | CNC milling | Sinker EDM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuts hardened steel and carbide | Yes, hardness does not matter | Limited, slow, high tool wear | Yes |
| Sharp inside corners | Down to about the wire radius | Limited by cutter radius | Down to the electrode corner |
| Blind features | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cutting force on the part | None | Yes | None |
| Speed on simple shapes | Slow | Fast | Slow |
| Extra tooling | None | Cutters and fixtures | A machined electrode per shape |
Typical wire EDM limits
Typical values for common machines. We confirm what your part needs after reading the drawing.
| Materials | Any metal that conducts electricity: tool steel in the hardened state, stainless steel, carbide, titanium, nickel alloys, copper, brass, aluminum |
|---|---|
| Wire diameter | 0.10 to 0.30 mm. 0.20 and 0.25 mm are the most common. |
| Kerf width | Wire diameter plus the spark gap on both sides. About 0.30 to 0.35 mm with 0.25 mm wire. |
| Smallest inside corner radius | About 0.15 mm with 0.25 mm wire. About 0.07 mm with 0.10 mm wire. |
| Profile tolerance | ±0.01 mm typical. ±0.005 mm with skim passes. Tighter on review of the drawing. |
| Surface finish | Ra 2.5 to 3.2 µm after one cut. Ra 0.8 to 1.6 µm after two or three passes. Ra 0.4 to 0.6 µm after four or more. |
| Workpiece thickness | Up to about 200 to 300 mm on common machines |
| Taper cutting | Up to about ±15° on common machines, less on thick parts |
| Start holes | Every closed internal profile needs one. Drilled before heat treatment or burned by small-hole EDM afterward. |
Typical values for common machines. Not a guarantee for every part.
Parts we take
Stamping punches and dies
Punch, die and stripper cut to matching clearances from hardened tool steel or carbide.
Mold inserts and cores
Hardened inserts with sharp internal corners and thin ribs.
Extrusion dies
Profile openings in hot-work steel.
Internal gears, splines and keyways
Internal forms that a cutter cannot reach.
Titanium and nickel alloy profiles
Medical and aerospace shapes cut without force or heat distortion from the tool.
Carbide wear parts
Blades, guides and nozzles cut from sintered carbide.
Fixture and gauge plates
Accurate pockets and slots in ground plate.
Thin-wall and delicate parts
Features that would bend or chatter under a cutter.
What drives the price of wire EDM
- Cut length times thickness
- The machine removes material along the whole profile through the full thickness. This is the base of every price.
- Number of passes
- One rough cut is the cheapest. Each skim pass for finish or tolerance adds machine time along the whole profile.
- Material
- Carbide and thick copper cut more slowly than tool steel.
- Setups and start holes
- Every closed profile needs threading through its own start hole. Many small openings cost more than one long cut.
- Wire diameter
- Fine wire for small radii cuts more slowly and breaks more easily.
- Quantity
- Thin plates can be stacked and cut together. Setup cost is shared across the batch.
For wire EDM shops and suppliers
Do you run wire EDM machines every day? We place orders with partner shops job by job. Suppliers of wire, consumables and machines can write to us too.
Questions buyers and shops ask
Are you a machine shop or a trading company?
A trading company. We specialise in wire EDM work. We review your drawing, quote, take your order, have the part cut at a partner shop, inspect it and ship it. You deal with us only, and we answer for the part.
Where are the parts made?
At partner shops we have audited. Every quote states the country of manufacture, and it is on the shipping documents.
What files do you need for a wire EDM quote?
A DXF or STEP file of the profile and a PDF drawing with tolerances, material, hardness and surface finish. Tell us if the part is already heat treated and whether start holes exist.
What tolerance can wire EDM hold?
A profile tolerance of ±0.01 mm is typical. ±0.005 mm is common with skim passes. Tighter than that depends on the part, so we confirm it after reading the drawing.
I run a wire EDM shop. Can I work with you?
Yes, if you run wire EDM machines every day and can measure what you cut. We place orders with partner shops job by job. Tell us your machines and travel sizes on the partners page.