Tungsten Carbide EDM Electrode

Main material for tungsten carbide EDM electrode is copper, iron and tungsten copper alloy, these electrode material with their own characteristics, can be used for different occasions. Copper is the most common for electrode material,which can be manufacture more complex electrode tool under cold extrusion processing. Tungsten copper with the best heat resistance, which is the best material for electrode tools, but it with high costs and highest unit price. In the early iron is widely used as tungsten carbide EDM electrode during the period of thyratron pulse power, and now is continue to use the EDM pulse power transistor for some mold makers. The three electrode materials used in tungsten carbide EDM electrode with the completely different wear characteristics. Find out the processing rules of tungsten carbide EDM electrode, which is able to provide some date under developing special carbide machining pulse power. Also with some practical significance on the development of EDM technology and improving the mold machining accuracy.

Through the experimental study for copper, tungsten copper and iron in tungsten carbide EDM electrodes, we could find the following results.

1、Polarity was be greater impact on the electrode wear, different material should choose different polarity, the tungsten copper is suitable as negative electrode.
2、Under the small pulse width, Since the protective film is not easy to promote, it is difficult to achieve low loss electrode.
3、Processing current will large affect electrode weariness, it will with different trends under the changed of processing current for different material. Electrode wear is falling for tungsten copper under the increased current, and copper will be increased.