Aerospace & Micro-Precision Manufacturing

Wire Electro-Chemical Machining (WECM) & Micro-WECM Calculator

Faradaic electrochemical dissolution kinematics, pulse duty cycle optimization, and zero-HAZ wire toolpath offset generator for superalloys and nitinol.

Process Parameters & Inputs

Superalloy / Difficult-to-Cut Material:

Wire Tool Electrode Diameter ($d_w$ in $\mu\text{m}$):

Diameter of the metallic wire cathode (e.g., tungsten, platinum-iridium).

Pulsed Peak Voltage ($V_{\text{peak}}$ in Volts):

High-frequency nanosecond pulsed power supply voltage.

Pulse Duty Cycle (%):

Pulse on-time ratio ($t_{\text{on}} / (t_{\text{on}} + t_{\text{off}})$).

Programmed Wire Feed Rate ($v_f$ in $\mu\text{m/s}$):

Linear contouring speed along the cut path.

Calculated Engineering Metrics

Frontal Inter-Electrode Gap ($s_f$)

24.5µm

Lateral Side Overcut ($s_l$)

32.8µm

Total Slit Kerf Width ($W_{\text{kerf}}$)

165.6µm

Surface Finish ($Ra$)

0.18µm (Mirror)

Toolpath & Geometry Simulation

Need Flawless DXF/SVG Contours for CAM?

SpotItLive converts technical drawings, raster graphics, and diagrams into clean, continuous vector paths ready for 5-axis CAM and CNC execution.

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Engineering Methodology & Technical Notes

Wire Electrochemical Machining (WECM) Electrochemistry: Unlike Wire EDM which relies on thermal spark erosion (creating a recast layer, micro-cracks, and tensile stresses), WECM removes metal atom-by-atom via anodic electrochemical dissolution according to Faraday's law: $\text{MRR} = \frac{\eta I M}{n F \rho}$. Because there is zero mechanical tool contact and zero thermal heat-affected zone (HAZ), WECM is ideal for fragile honeycomb seals, thin-walled nitinol stents, and stress-free aerospace components.

Inter-Electrode Gap (IEG) & CAM Overcut Compensation: Lateral overcut $s_l$ depends on pulse voltage, electrolyte conductivity ($\kappa \approx 10\text{--}18\text{ S/m}$ in $\text{NaNO}_3$), duty cycle, and dwell time. SpotItLive calculates the exact equilibrium frontal gap $s_f = \frac{\eta \kappa (V - \Delta V) M}{n F \rho v_f}$ and generates tangent offset CAM DXFs where toolpath centerline radius is $R_{\text{CAM}} = \frac{d_w}{2} + s_l$.