Makino has been the industry leader in low wire consumption technologies, which dramatically reduce the single largest expense in operating a wire EDM machine.  Every cutting condition, including sealed and poor flush applications, have been developed and optimized from the ground up for low wire consumption.  There are no special settings or “part-time” buttons required to experience this savings; all machining conditions are developed to prove an ideal mix of Speed, Accuracy, Surface Finish, and Low Wire Consumption.  The diverse conditions library offers settings for different work piece materials, wire types, and wire sizes, including diverse settings for 0.300mm (0.012”) wire that equal the Accuracy and Surface Finish of 0.250mm (0.010”) wire.  The U6 machine redefines the expectations of versatility and user-friendliness with its incorporated practical features and technologies that deliver real-world improvements to productivity.

A new PICO Round Wire Guide system has been developed for the U6 machine that dramatically reduces maintenance requirements. The maintenance of the Energizer Contact Plates is accomplished quickly and efficiently using the Tool-less indexing design, which eliminates human indexing error by removing the need to use special tools or measurement devices. The Wire Guides can be removed and exchanged without the need for Vertical Wire Alignment, as the guide assembly will repeat to within 5µm (0.0002”). The main di-electric filters are housed in a non-submerged cabinet, and the water from the spent filters is evacuated before exchanging using the integrated Filter Air-Purge function, which significantly reduces the weight of the spent filter while preventing the traditional dirty, wet slip hazards that are normally associated with filter replacement.