MICRO MILLING

At its 4 CN machining centres STEEC drills and taps holes of very small dimensions down to diameters of a few tenths of microns. STEEC carries out micro-drilling work on conventional machining centres. STEEC is able to machine parts in small and medium series or units parts that may have several tens of thousands of holes per parts. The company has acquired know-how and expertise recognized by multiple audits by major contractors in this technology. These audits have also led to special prestigious certifications. This technical solution may be applied in all industrial sectors, from aerospace to the medical sector, also including research or the automotive industry.

Spark erosion involves removing material from a conducting part and eroding it to give it the desired shapes and dimensions by means of electrical discharges. In the wire sparks erosion process an unwinding metal wire, under tension, is immersed in water or in another insulating liquid (dielectric) with the part to be worked. The current transmitted forms an electric arc which gives rise to precise, programmed degradation of a section of the part. The residues created by wearing of the part are removed by the water or dielectric liquid. STEEC carries out both spark erosion and fine wire micro spark erosion operations Wires spark erosion and machining Equipped with the latest wire spark erosion technologies, STEEC is able to carry high precision cutting with wires of standard sizes whose diameter may vary from 0.15 to 0.25 mm in all types of mechanical parts.

This modern machining technology offers a host of advantages over more conventional processes. STEEC makes available to its customers its know-how in micro drilling by spark erosion. The principle of this machining process is the same as for wire spark erosion, except that the tool used for cutting is no longer a wire but an electrode shaped according to the precision machining require. The part and the tool (electrode) are not therefore in contact with each other, in fact it is an electric arc formed between the electrode and the part that will machine the latter. This is also called sparking. The part must be necessarily be conducting to be able to be machined by this method and it is prerequisite for using this method. This absence of contact between the tool and the part makes it possible to machine very hard materials such as titanium for example.

STEEC, an eligible company approved for research tax credit, is partner to numerous prestigious research centres such as the CNRS (National Scientific Research Council) and the CEA. The company also collaborates very regularly with university research centres in France and abroad. STEEC assists the researchers in their development by providing them with the possibility of applying leading edge technologies in micro-machining, such as laser micro-cutting or micro-drilling by spark erosion.