Comparison of Technical Parameters: Fundamental Differences in Accuracy and Stability
1. Wire speed and movement mode
- The high-speed machine adopts reciprocating high-speed wire feeding, with a speed of 6-11m/s (commonly around 8-10m/s). The electrode wire is repeatedly used, which can easily cause vibration and micro stripes due to commutation.
- The low-speed machine adopts unidirectional constant speed wire feeding, with a speed of only 0.001-0.25m/s. The electrode wire is disposable, avoiding loss accumulation and motion shaking, and ensuring processing stability.
2. Processing accuracy and surface roughness
- The machining accuracy of high-speed machining is generally ± 0.01 to ± 0.02mm, and the surface roughness Ra value is between 1.6 and 3.2 μ m, with some reaching Ra 5 to 2.5 μ m.
- The precision of low-speed machines can reach ± 0.001 to ± 0.005mm, and the surface roughness can be as low as Ra ≤ 0.8 μ m, even achieving a mirror effect of Ra 0.1 to 0.4 μ m.
3. Control system and process capability
- High speed machines often use open-loop control, with weak parameter adaptability, and usually only support single cutting.
- The low-speed machine is equipped with closed-loop tension control and multi-level precision cutting modes (rough cutting, precision cutting, ultra precision cutting), which can achieve multiple cuts, effectively correct errors, and improve final quality.
4. Electrode wire materials and cooling system
- High speed machines commonly use molybdenum wire or tungsten molybdenum alloy, which have low cost but are prone to wear and tear; Cooling with emulsion or water-based working fluid has strong conductivity and may cause electrolytic corrosion.
- Low speed machines often use galvanized brass wire or copper wire, which has good conductivity and stable discharge; Using deionized water cooling (resistivity ≥ 10 Ω· cm) significantly reduces the electrolytic effect and protects the microstructure of the material.
Application scenario division: from mass production to ultra precision division of labor:
- High speed machines, with their economical consumables and high efficiency, are still the main choice for general material processing, especially suitable for cost sensitive large-scale tasks.
- Low speed machines are irreplaceable in terms of micrometer level accuracy, heat affected zone control, and material integrity protection, and are widely used in scientific research and high-end manufacturing scenarios that require extremely high quality.
Balancing efficiency and overall cost: speed ≠ actual output
- High speed machine: Although the wire speed is fast, the actual cutting process requires frequent shutdown and adjustment due to issues such as electrode wire shaking, reversing lines, and wire breakage risks, and it is difficult to achieve stable output with high precision.
- Low speed machine: Although the wire runs slowly, it can complete high-quality products in one clamping with stable one-way operation, multiple precision repair capabilities, and automated compensation mechanism, reducing subsequent finishing processes and improving the overall processing cycle.
