OPEC

  21st Century's Leading EDM Wire : OPEC Wire Why OPEC wire is the 21st Century's leading EDM Wire ? The machining efficiency of a wire electrode for use of cutting workpiece by electrical discharge machining (EDM) is closely related to a selection of various machining parameters of wire EDM machine and accordingly can be optimized. These parameters include machining gap, machining fluid flow rate, machining current density, wave form and frequency of the electrical discharge. The performance of wire EDM machine has been improved according to continuous efforts to develop the optimum combination of the machining parameters. In addition, it should not be underestimated that a selection of a proper wire is also important in achieving an improved efficiency of a wire EDM machine. In other words, the machining efficiency of a wire EDM machine can be maximized when the wire EDM machine is used in combination with a proper wire. Important properties required of a wire electrode are the electrical conductivity and the mechanical strength, which are directly related to the machining speed and the accuracy. Conventional wire electrode has been developed to a brass wire from a copper wire and finially to a zinc coated wire on the brass or copper wire core, by which more advanced wire EDM is realized in terms of machining speed and accuracy. Copper wire electrode was commercialized first because of its high electrical conductivity, and a brass wire electrode was developed to overcome the drawbacks of copper wire electrode such as poor flushability and mechanical strength. In a brass electrode wire, the Zinc having a low vaporization temperature have been known to stabilize the electrical discharge and to result in cooling the wire electrode due to the vaporization. This stimulated the development of a coated wire, wherein the core material meets the conditions for the electrical conductivity and the mechanical strength required and zinc is coated on the core to improve machining speed and accuracy due to its advantage of discharge stability and cooling effect. Further, the zinc coated wire was diffusion-annealed to improve its performance. Thus, the improvement of wire electrodes was approached in controlling chemical composition of core or coating materials. However, the development of a wire electrode by OPEC Engineering Co., Ltd was approached in physical modification providing porous morphology on the surface of the wire electrode. Detailed technology regarding the structure and method of manufacturing is covered in a Technical Note. - Characteristics of OPEC Electrodes Wire : Best machining speed The OPEC electrodes wire having porous surface morphology of the coating provide improved cooling ability due to increased surface morphology which, in turn, provide improved machining speed compared with conventional coated electrodes wire. Superior machining accuracy. The OPEC electrode wires of characteristic cooling ability provide an improvement in relative mechanical strength of the wires during the machining. Therefore the wire breakage can be reduced and a superior performance in machining accuracy is achieved in comparison with conventional coated wires. 21st Century's electrode wire. The technology of manufacturing method and structure is registered in the Korea Patent and Trademark Office. Our manufacturing method is more economical than a conventional method, thus it will be reduce the cost of OPEC electrode wires. In addition to, since the OPEC electrodes wire have advantages in machining speed and machining accuracy, better economics and productivity will be achieved by using OPEC wire electrodes both for end users and wire EDM manufacturers.