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In manufacturing and CNC machining services, the products you make are only as good as the machines that make them. Thus, it becomes important that you be aware of the different types of equipment before picking a precision or CNC machining services provider. Precision machining is all about creating parts that are ‘near’ perfect. To reach that kind of perfection, you can opt to use different types of equipment, depending on the materials you’ll use. Let’s go through the most common precision machining equipment. Electronic Discharge Machines (EDMs) This type of machine rely on electronic discharges to contour raw materials into the desired product. Usually the process involves having the material between plates that emit electricity. The good thing about EDM is that it can produce almost everything you want. There’s no shape that’s too difficult to sculpt nor is there a size too small to work with. Moreover, since electricity doesn’t need direct contact for it to work, the raw materials are kept in the best condition without any alterations. However, the problem is that EDM takes a long time to finish. Plus, you have to invest in electrodes for the machine itself. And since this machine uses huge amounts of electricity, the cost of keeping these machines alive is often expensive. Electronic Chemical Machines (ECMs) ECMs rely not only on electricity but also from the chemical reactions that happen when materials are exposed to energy. A wand is charged with electricity and aimed at varying distances to the material. The ‘gap’ is only enough for the electricity to cross over and excite the molecules of the material. Once the material heats up, some parts get dissolved leading to the finish product. ECM is used for parts that are mass produced because of the short process time. The only downside to ECM is its use of chemical reactions. Since electricity is involved, it might alter the very structure of the material and make corrosion (rusting) a problem. Water jets Last but definitely not the least used, the water jet uses pressurized streams to contour the work piece. To make the work efficient, abrasives like sand or granite are mixed with the water. Among the three methods, water jets are the cheapest. They range from $20,000 to $30,000, whereas ECM and EDM are five times more expensive. The only trade off, however, is the amount of power you need to run the machine. The water pump demands 15-40 kilowatts of power. These machines, which are used in CNC machining services, are but a few examples. The manufacturing industry has continuously been growing at exponential rates. Keep your eyes out for any more new equipment. Charles works for a CNC machining services company in Norfolk. When he is not at work, he enjoys writing articles and blogs on different tips to do with precision turned parts.
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