Best All Around EDM Wire?

[sethom]

I'm looking at Sodick, Mitsubishi, Agie, and Charmilles. I've narrowed them down to Charmilles and the Mits. Does anyone have any thought on either? I can't find a difference really and I am buying new. I don't like the Charmilles opening up the submerged door at 40", but that's not really a reason. Seems like Mits has better service options and Charmille has a better self-thread, surface finish, and wire chopper.

Anyone had recent experiences with both new machines? We are currently running a Mits Wires and sinkers.

[nastek]

I think mitsubishi is better, precision and reliable.

[sodickappsguy]

mits is going to be cheaper to operate. chars are getting backing away from edm also and putting more focus on the hard milling. You will just about have to run half hard coated wire with the char and the cost for all of the cables will eat into your budget big time. I am not a huge fan of mits cause that is competition but they have a better machine than the chars.

[AppEng]

What about Makino? I know they make excellent EDM's, but not sure about the wire.

[sodickappsguy]

i see them around but not alot in my area. the last three that i have seen has been on flatbed trucks on there way out and a sodick sitting in there place. From what i hear they are a macro interface like the sodick so there are not alot of G codes to remember for part setups. All three jap machines (mits, sodick, makino) are fanuc based g code and the two euro machines are word codes (goto ect.)

[sethom]

We ended up purchasing the Mits. The chars defintely had better technical abilities, but I think the service of Mits was much better. Sodick gave me a great offer, but because I didn't like the table or the 2 piece guide, I didn't even try to negotiate.

[sodickappsguy]

you know that they do make a one piece guide for the sodicks. the split guide hasnt been an issue till you cut alot of high taper parts (35-45 degree). The table does need a better bolt pattern and a standard back rail like our AD325L.

[sethom]

They really need a 1 piece guide on the 327, but I still think the bottom guide is too big to hold very accurate tolerances (+/- .0001). The 2 piece guides don't work too well when they get dirty either.

Also a 1pc table. The Charmilles actually uses Fanuc controls, so I believe they are back to G code.

[sodickappsguy]

the bottom guides and top guides both can be bought with tighter tolerances. the rumor has it that the fanuc controls are being phased out in the near future but that is just a rumor mill.