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Process Comparison |
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| Property Name | Milling | Turning | Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) | Electrochemical Machining (ECM) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shapes | Solid: Cubic, Solid: Complex (Flat, Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: Complex, Solid: Cylindrical) | Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Solid: Cylindrical | Solid: Cylindrical, Solid: Cubic, Solid: Complex (Flat, Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: Complex) | Solid: Cylindrical, Solid: Cubic, Solid: Complex (Flat, Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: Complex) | |
| Part size | Length: 0.04 - 72 in Width: 0.04 - 72 in | Diameter: 0.02 - 80 in | |||
| Materials | Metals, Alloy Steel, Carbon Steel, Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Magnesium, Zinc (Ceramics, Composites, Lead, Nickel, Tin, Titanium, Elastomer, Thermoplastics, Thermosets) | Metals, Alloy Steel, Carbon Steel, Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Magnesium, Zinc (Ceramics, Composites, Lead, Nickel, Tin, Titanium, Elastomer, Thermoplastics, Thermosets) | Metals, Alloy Steel, Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Nickel (Ceramics, Lead, Magnesium, Tin, Titanium, Zinc) | Metals, Alloy Steel, Carbon Steel, Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, Nickel, Titanium (Ceramics, Aluminum, Copper, Lead, Magnesium, Tin, Zinc) | |
| Surface finish - Ra (μin) | 32 - 125 (8 - 500) | 16 - 125 (2 - 250) | 50 - 150 (8 - 250) | 50 - 250 (8 - 500) | |
| Tolerance (in.) | ± 0.001 (± 0.0005) | ± 0.001 (± 0.0002) | ± 0.0005 (± 0.00015) | ± 0.001 (± 0.0005) | |
| Max wall thickness | 0.04 - 40 (0.04 - 72) | 0.02 - 2.5 (0.02 - 80) | 0.005 - 0.25 | 0.005 - 0.25 | |
| Quantity | 1 - 1000 (1 - 1000000) | 1 - 1000 (1 - 1000000) | 1 - 1000 | 1 - 1000 (1 - 1000000) | |
| Lead time | Days (Hours) | Days (Hours) | Weeks (Days) | Weeks (Days) | |
| Advantages | All materials compatible, Very good tolerances, Short lead times | All materials compatible, Very good tolerances, Short lead times | Can form complex shapes and fine details, Excellent tolerances, Low labor cost | Can form complex shapes and fine details, Excellent tolerances, Low labor cost | |
| Disadvantages | Limited shape complexity, Part may require several operations and machines, High equipment cost, Significant tool wear, Large amount of scrap | Limited to rotational parts, Part may require several operations and machines, High equipment cost, Significant tool wear, Large amount of scrap | Material must be electrically conductive, Very low production rate, High tooling and equipment cost, Large amount of scrap | Material must be electrically conductive, High tooling and equipment cost, Large amount of scrap | |
| Applications | Machine components, engine components | Machine components, shafts, engine components | Dies, honeycomb structures | Dies, honeycomb structures, turbine blades |
Disclaimer: All process specifications reflect the approximate range of a process's capabilities and should be viewed only as a guide. Actual capabilities are dependent upon the manufacturer, equipment, material, and part requirements.