Follow Kingred Electrical Discharge Machining for Updates

When investing in a CNC wire EDM machine, the focus is often on specification sheets and initial cutting results. Yet, what really matters is how the machine performs not just in the first hour, but after a full morning or afternoon of continuous work. Many users notice that accuracy seems stable early on, only for dimensions to gradually drift as the shift progresses.

The Morning vs Afternoon Difference

At the start of the day, parts may come off the machine looking exactly as planned. Measurements are within tolerance and everything feels under control. But after four to six hours of uninterrupted cutting, subtle changes can appear. Parts measured later in the day may no longer align perfectly with those produced earlier.

What Causes Accuracy Drift

1. Thermal build-up in the structure

Every EDM process generates heat. Over time, the machine frame and linear guides absorb this energy. Without a stable frame design or thermal compensation system, small geometric shifts can accumulate.

2. Electronic stability matters

Control boards and pulse systems need to remain consistent hour after hour. If the electronics experience signal drift, even slight variations in timing can influence cutting precision.

3. Mechanical behavior over time

Software features such as backlash compensation help, but they cannot fully replace mechanical rigidity. If the underlying frame and moving parts are not stable, accuracy may change gradually over long cycles.

Why This Matters in Practice?

For shops working on precision components, whether in tooling, aerospace, or medical parts, repeatability is as important as the first-pass result. Discovering at the end of a job that dimensions have shifted means extra inspection time, potential rework, or even scrap.