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Tag DC metal disintegrator

Why Do I Need DC Cutting?

D.C. cutting is direct current cutting, which is a naturally occurring process that moves metal from a positive pole (+) to a negative pole (-) when current flow is initiated (switched on) and subsequently interrupted (switched off). You may not know that this process is as old as the storage battery. It was also responsible for the problems of the early automobile ignition points and plugs – excessive wear on the positive terminals caused by the rapid switching of a D.C. circuit.

D.C. cutting is the basis for all convention and wire EDM machine technology (not to mention Electro Arc Metal disintegrators) and predates the electric light bulb.

DC Portable Metal Disintegrators Heavy-duty power for onsite or occasional use

How Does DC Cutting Work?

D.C. cutting or EDM cutting occurs when an ionized path is established (switched on) between a positive and negative pole and then broken (switched off) to stop the current flow. The simplest example is what occurs when the (+) and (-) poles of a car battery are momentarily (with jumper cables) touched together (switched on) and then pulled apart (switched off). When the cable clamps are examined you discover a crater on the positive clamp and an equal amount of material added to the (-) clamp – EDM in action!

Harness this D.C process to remove broken taps, drills, and bolts quickly and easily. Minimum heat is generated and low power is consumed because polarity is the major moving physical property. High amperage, can waste power as a violent arc is created generating excessive heat and causing extreme electrode wear.

How do Electrodes Work in the Metal Disintegration Process?

Did you know that any conductive material can be used as an electrode? The more conductive the electrode material, the more effectively an electrical process works, and this is an electrical process.

Electro Arc machines can be used with inexpensive copper tubing. Copper has superior conductivity (next to silver), low cost, and is easy to work with. It has the added benefit of being very conductive both electrically and thermally to aid in removing residual heat from the cutting area. We use other materials as electrodes for cutting operations where higher temperature arcs are required to remove high-temperature materials such as high-temperature bolts that are alloyed with molybdenum and other elements.

You need D.C. cutting because you are constantly searching for a better, faster, cheaper way to get your job done. D.C. cutting gives it to you because it moves metal faster through polarity while minimizing heat and power consumption through lower amperage requirements that always accompany the use of polarity as the major moving physical property.

How does D.C. cutting compare to A.C. cutting?

A.C cutting is the creation of a violent arc between a high melting temperature (molybdenum/melts at 4748 degrees Farinheight and 2620 degrees Celcius) electrode material and a lower melting point material (tool/steel/melts at 2500 degrees Farinheight and 1371 degrees Celsius) and the fact that the lower melting point material (steel) will melt faster than the high-temperature material (molybdenum). You will want to use DC current with carbide because it cuts faster than AC, you may also need a DC machine if you are planning to use your metal disintegrator on larger bolts.

Electro Arc’s AC metal disintegrators were the first metal disintegrators available on the market, released to the general public for purchase in 1947. While competitors came and went over the years, Electro Arc remained the best metal disintegrator manufacturer purchasing competing brands including Elox, AC machines are generally cheaper than DC machines and provide a larger variety of options for customization.

metal-disintegration-process
5 Steps to Choose the Machine You Need to Remove Broken Bolts
metal-disintegration-process
Remove broken bolts with your Electro Arc Metal Disintegrator
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Our broken bolt, drill, and tap removal technology is the most cost-effective and precise method available in the market.  Patented in 1942, AC metal disintegrators were made and distributed exclusively by Electro Arc for years before competitors entered the market.  Electro Arc purchased Uni-Tek in 2004 and began making and distributing DC machines as well including the Bolt Eater.  Electro Arc metal disintegration machines have been built in Michigan since the company began in 1947.  These machines are known for their long-lasting design and easy-to-use configuration, allowing companies to apply the technology across industries.

See the Bolt Eater in Action:

You can use Electro Arc metal disintegration machines to quickly and easily remove the broken-off tap, drill, and or bolt without damaging your valuable equipment. In the infographic above, you can see the details of our precise spark erosion process.  Please refer to the following recommendations to choose the right metal disintegrator for your needs.

How to choose the right metal disintegrator for your application:

Step 1. Do you need an AC or DC power supply? 

Both AC and DC machines run 110 to 600 volts to vibrate AC machines make and break 50 or 60 times per second, while DC machines are at 120 times per second.  DC power can maintain higher arc levels and sustain a larger arc.  With DC machines you can use larger electrodes like square or hex-shaped carbon to drill faster and make larger holes.

Step 2. Next, which disintegrating head do you need? IQ, Servo, or Arc-er.

You can use the Arc-er head with our portable metal disintegrators and you can use it directly with machines like a Bridgeport. The IQ head provides faster-cutting speed and can be used with larger electrodes.  You will receive a Servo head with our DC machines.

Step 3. Do you want a Portable or Table top machine?

Portable machines are great for on-site application.  If you need to take the metal disintegrator to the part, a portable metal disintegrator is for you.  Off-road vehicle repair, mining operations, submarines, and repairs on the line are some great examples that would benefit from a portable machine.

You will want a tabletop machine if you are working on parts that can be taken to the machine for disintegration.  We offer tabletops ranging in sizes and can create custom table tops if needed.

Step 4.

Which electrode do you need? 

We offer electrodes made of graphite, copper, and molybdenum.  Depending on the hardness of your piece, you will want to choose the appropriate electrode.  Please refer to our sizing charts to choose the best one for your needs. 

Step 5. What kind of material are you working with?  

If you are working with carbide, you will want to choose a machine with “C” in the model number such as our 2-SEC which is a more compact tabletop machine offering the durability and power to disintegrate carbide.

Check out one of our DC Table Top Demonstrations:

Watch a Broken Drill Removed From Manifold

The following is a transcription of the above video. Please reach out to us here with any questions or concerns.

Hi and welcome to Electro ARC. Today we’re going to be demonstrating our DC direct current output disintegrating transformer which is optimally suited for removing broken carbide tooling. We have a broken 12 mm carbide drill selector. We’ve determined that we need to use a 312,000 electrode to remove the broken carbide drill.  The electrode is inserted into the disintegrator head. The machine is equipped with a disintegrator DC head and automatic servo feed, stop and start switches and depth stop. To begin the process i bring my electrode down on the broken tool, drop my splash bag, cover the edges with a rag, and using the start stop switches I begin the process. It tells us that we need 18 up through 9 by 32 in. Our machines can meet the needs of any part size shape or configuration. We’ve gone through and removed some of the loose bits of carbide drill left in the hole and there’s still a little bit of the drill down in the hole that’s not loose yet. So we’re going to take the disintegrator back down and we are still going to go with 1 in increments. As you can see, the head backed out and that’s indicating that we have  another loose piece of drill bit, so I can go in there and should be able to rummage around and find it, lets get our head out of the way and then with our compressed air we can clean out the hole and I can see bits of material down in there for us to pick out with some pics and pliers.  What we’ve done here is using our pics and and needle nose pliers is bring the chunks of the drill out of the hole and got to the solid drill and using a twisting action removed it from the hole leaving a clean hole undamaged for future use.

View more helpful videos for using your metal disintegrator on our new website for machine owners.

In the above video, Electro Arc’s 2-DVC DC metal disintegrating machine demonstrates the removal of broken carbide tooling. Equipped with our servo head with auto-feed allows for easy remote start and stop. Disintegrate up to 1 1/4 inch diameter in one pass. See more broken bolt removal examples.

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