Cutting Through the Impossible: Inside a 3D Printed Stainless Steel Fluid Mixer

Cutting Through the Impossible: Inside a 3D Printed Stainless Steel Fluid Mixer

Blog Article

When additive manufacturing meets precision cutting, engineering marvels reveal themselves. This article documents the process of bisecting a complex 316L stainless steel fluid mixer produced via Trumpf TruePrint 2000 3D printing technology, using an ONA B35 Wire EDM system. The operation demonstrates how advanced machining techniques enable inspection and validation of intricate internal geometries that would be impossible to create through conventional manufacturing.

The Setup: Precision Alignment and Wire Selection

The process began with securing the printed component to a fixture using a stainless steel build plate. Brass wire measuring 0.010" diameter – three times thinner than a human hair – was chosen for its balance of conductivity and precision. The machine's probing system established X/Y coordinates through multiple edge-finding operations, achieving positioning accuracy within 0.0001".

Critical alignment steps included:
- Indication across machined flats for angular verification
- Automatic wire threading through upper/lower diamond guides
- Z-axis positioning 0.040" above the fixture for optimal flushing

Wire EDM in Action: Sparks and Science

The cutting sequence employed three passes: roughing followed by two finishing operations. A specialized "poor flushing" tech file accommodated challenging coolant flow around the thick build plate. The submerged process used deionized water (resistivity >1 MΩ·cm) to enable electrical discharge while preventing short circuits.

CNC machining stainless steel presents unique challenges compared to EDM processes, particularly in tool wear management and surface finish optimization.

Revealing Hidden Complexity

As the wire completed its cut, a 0.035" tab maintained part integrity until manual separation. The cross-section exposed internal channels demonstrating additive manufacturing's unique capabilities:

Post-Cut Analysis and Applications

While some unsupported internal features detached during cutting, the primary geometry remained intact. The process validated the part's internal structure and highlighted areas for design refinement. For engineers working with similar components, understanding vibration reduction in machining operations becomes crucial when transitioning between additive and subtractive processes.

Combining Technologies for Advanced Manufacturing

This project illustrates the synergy between additive manufacturing and precision EDM. While 3D printing creates complex geometries, wire cutting enables quality verification and creates reference surfaces for secondary operations. The combination proves particularly valuable for: