Page 8 - Fall 2024 EDM Today

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Minimal Maintenance for
Maximum Uptime

One of the standout features of the
Makino UX-Series Wire EDM ma-
chines is the low maintenance
requirements. The dielectric fi lters
are housed in a non-submerged
cabinet equipped with an integrated
air-purge system. This design
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simplifi es fi lter changes, allowing
operators to drain any remaining
dielectric water quickly and without
mess. The upper and lower energizer
plates can easily be indexed with-
out any tools simply by rotating the
plates by hand, relieving the burden
of time-consuming maintenance
tasks. The upper energizer provides
28 index locations, while the lower
energizer has 18 index locations.
Additionally, the wire guides can be UX-Series Maintenance
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changed or removed for cleaning
without requiring a subsequent wire
alignment procedure, saving valuable
time and operational costs. These user-friendly features make operating the UX-Series a simple process,
even for those new to Wire EDM machines.

Automation for Wire EDM
The basic design of Wire EDM machines makes the machining process an unattended or lightly attended
process. Machining differs from CNC lathes and machining centers, where a broken cutter can cause
major issues. If the wire breaks, the Wire EDM machine will rethread the wire and continue machining.
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As a result, a Wire EDM machine lends itself to unattended operation. However, to make Wire EDM a tru-
ly lights out operation will
require integration of some
form of automation. The
Makino UX-Series can easily
be integrated with various
types of automation. The
most fl exible type of auto-
mation is the integration of
a collaborative robot. Col-
laborative robots, or cobots,
offer a fl exible solution and
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smaller footprint than most
traditional industrial robots.
The safety features include
a laser light-controlled safety
zone that allows the cobot
to be installed without any
guarding for certain applica-
tions. If an operator enters
the safety zone, the cobot
movements will slow down.
Also, if the cobot contacts an UX3 With Cobot
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object, the sensitive contact

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