Titanium Wire EDM Machining for Fine Aerospace and Medical Components

Background: Fine Aerospace and Medical Component Requirements

Aerospace and medical components often require extremely fine features, intricate geometries, and high precision tolerances. Wire EDM titanium machining is ideal for producing these complex parts without mechanical stress.

In this case, the customer required titanium components with delicate slots, thin walls, and complex contours for aerospace and surgical applications. Wire EDM titanium machining was selected to meet these demanding specifications.

Material Selection and Titanium Machinability

Titanium alloys were chosen for their corrosion resistance, high strength, and dimensional stability. Machinability challenges included:

• Risk of distortion in thin walls

• Difficulty producing sharp internal corners

• Maintaining tight tolerances on intricate features

Wire EDM machining removes material electrically, minimizing mechanical forces and preserving component integrity.

Wire EDM Titanium Machining Process

Wire EDM operations included:

• Cutting thin-wall sections and precise slots

• Maintaining accurate electrode path programming

• Controlling discharge parameters to minimize thermal effects

Wire EDM titanium machining produced repeatable accuracy and excellent surface finish on fine features.

Integration with CNC Titanium Machining

After wire EDM, CNC titanium machining was applied to:

• Face milling and finishing external surfaces

• Drilling assembly holes and mounting points

• Milling additional features for component functionality

This hybrid approach ensured fully functional machined titanium parts.

Dimensional Accuracy and Surface Finish

Critical dimensions were held within ±0.01 mm tolerance. Surface finishes were optimized for aerospace and medical standards, ensuring smooth edges and accurate mating surfaces.

Inspection and Quality Assurance

Inspection included:

• CMM measurement of critical dimensions and slots

• Gauge verification for thin-wall sections

• 100% visual inspection

These steps ensured all machined titanium parts met aerospace and medical quality requirements.

OEM and Engineering Collaboration

Engineering teams collaborated with customers to:

• Optimize wire EDM cutting paths

• Plan integrated EDM and CNC sequences

• Validate prototypes before batch production

Supported CAD, CAM, and CAE tools included STEP, DWG, DXF, IGS, STL, and PDF formats.

Applications of Wire EDM Titanium Components

Titanium wire EDM machining is widely used for:

• Aerospace sensor brackets and thin structural components

• Medical implants and surgical instruments

• Precision industrial assemblies with intricate geometries

Wire EDM machining ensures high-precision features where conventional machining is insufficient.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates how titanium wire EDM machining combined with CNC titanium machining delivers precise and reliable components for aerospace and medical applications. By addressing titanium machinability challenges and implementing strict inspection protocols, high-quality machined titanium parts were produced for fine-feature applications.