ELECTRODE WIRE FOR USE IN ELECTRIC DISCHARGE MACHINING AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING SAME

摘要

An electrode wire for wire electric discharge machining a workpiece at high speed and high accuracy and a process for preparing the same are provided. The electrode wire comprises a core wire made of a copper clad steel wire, 10 to 70% of the sectional area of the copper clad steel wire being occupied by copper, and a copper-zinc alloy layer covering the core wire. The copper-zinc alloy layer is prepared by coating the core wire with zinc by electroplating or hot galvanizing, followed by heating to disperse copper in the zinc layer to convert the same into a copper-zinc alloy layer wherein the concentration of zinc is increased gradually along the radially outward direction. The preferable thickness of the copper-zinc alloy layer ranges from 0.1 to 15 microns and the average concentration of zinc in the copper-zinc alloy layer is preferably less than 50% by weight but not less than 10% by weight.