Advanced Wire Rotation Technology

In 2021 Sodick introduced new wire EDM technology with the launch of iGroove. Featured in the ALP and ALN Series wire EDMs, iGroove technology allowed for the rotation of the wire, which paved the way for more accurate surface qualities and a reduction in wire consumption. Sodick has now unveiled iGroove+, which has built upon the success of iGroove and designed with sustainable development goals (SDGs) and increased accuracy in mind.

iGroove has advanced wire EDM machines with its patented wire rotation function. Wire rotation has allowed for reduced amounts of wire consumption and the removal of wear-related taper adjustment. Now with the launch of iGroove+, the ALP and ALN series wire EDM lines from Sodick have added capabilities.

iGroove+ offers higher-speed manufacturing and eco-friendly production through not only the wire rotation function, but also through a newly developed Digital HF control and energy-saving pump system. Digital HF control constantly monitors the status during machining, simultaneously improving machining speed and accuracy, while also ensuring that corners are not undercut/overcut. In addition, the energy-saving pump system has a circuit that monitors the vertical flushing flow rate during machining which helps reduce the pump drive energy required for flushing.

Stepcut is also supported with iGroove+ wire EDMs. The Stepcut function is the technique of cutting a workpiece with a varying height using just one program. This is made viable by Sodick's "Thinking Circuit," which remembers the approximate thickness of the workpiece at each spot by creating a 2D mesh as it makes its initial cut. Because of the newly developed Digital HF control within iGroove+, Stepcut applications have improved. Digital HF provides improved machining performance, resistance to water quality changes and reduction of machining time by Stepcut.

"Since the initial release of the iGroove+ series, increased levels of machining accuracy, surface finish and wire savings have been documented," said a company spokesperson. "The workpieces that benefit most from this technology are those that require multiple passes and have varying thicknesses. Positive results are also seen on less complex workpieces in comparison to the performance of previous models. iGroove+ has seen dramatic decreases in machining time, accuracy, power and wire consumption.

According to the company, an in-house sample part generated the following results:

• Speed: Digital HF control reduces machining time by 20%. This is due to the digital monitoring system that checks the status constantly during machining and maintains optimum discharge conditions. By constantly monitoring the discharge state during machining, stable machining is always maintained, even with changes in water quality or plate thickness.
• Accuracy: The wire rotation function allows for the workpiece to always be cut by a fresh wire surface.
• Power consumption: The newly developed pump system enables approximately 20% reduction of power consumption.
• Wire consumption: Finish pass wire consumption is now reduced by 30%.
• In regards to this sample part, iGroove+ had a total machining time of 21 hours 33 minutes compared to iGroove's 29 hour 16 minute time.

For more information contact:

Sodick Inc.

601 Commerce Drive

Schaumburg, IL 60173

847-310-9000

sales@sodick.com

www.sodick.com