A Review on Abrasive Waterjet and Wire Electrical Discharge Machining – High Speed

Technological advancement, on the one hand, makes Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) much faster. One example of that is the presence of Wire Electrical Discharge Machining – High Speed (WEDM-HS) machine, which makes the material removal rate as high as 80 mm/min. On the other hand, it also make Abrasive Waterjet (AWJ) achieve much better quality surface and tighter tolerance. As a result, these two machining processes have converged to the point where they can achieve same requirements quite nicely in selected applications. However, when examining closely, these two processes are quite different in many aspects. This paper reviews the main features of these two processes. The review leads to the essential differences between these two processes. Based on this review, proper applications of each process has been provided.