In 2001 Adron EDM Specialists' work will be part of a mission to study the sun. The NASA Discovery 5 Mission: Genesis, managed by The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is scheduled to launch in early 2001. For two years the spacecraft will orbit between Earth and the sun, gathering a large reservoir of solar material for scientific study. Key to the collection process is the wire EDMed grid pattern that will house the collector arrays. Adron won the contract to cut the complex, 28-in.-diameter grids shown above during inspection at Adron and during assembly at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Each of which is composed of small triangular spaces with 0.020 in. thick walls. Adron was able to cut this part in one set-up, providing faster turnaround and holding the exact tolerance requirements of the Genesis mission.

When Adron installed the largest wire EDM machine in the world, Mitsubishi's 400 HA, capable of cutting a workpiece 32 inches by 40 inches by 18 inches thick and weighing up to 10,000 lbs., wire cutting ultra-large workpieces was unknown, according to Dave Carlson, sales vice president, explaining that a big part of his job has been customer education. Adron exhibits at about 10 trade shows each year in all regions of the country.

"We've not only made a commitment to being at the forefront of EDM technology, we've also committed ourselves to informing our customers and teaching people about the application of EDM to production situations," Dave said. He explained that he encourages customers to think of EDM for fairly simple work pieces, as well as for the difficult-to-machine jobs that are traditionally thought of as wire EDM work. Adron's customers come from 48 states and four countries and are engaged in almost every industry, including: aerospace, electronics, defense, energy, medical, automotive, nuclear, and consumer products.

Founded 31 years ago by Ron Hagmayer, today Adron is led by his son, Brian. Adron recognized early on the need for a production shop to be certified to the ISO Quality System Standard, and invested in the process, receiving ISO 9002 certification seven years ago. Preventive maintenance, another key attribute to a production shop, is a continuous operation at Adron, Brian noted.

Operating 48 wire machines gives Adron the flexibility to deal with emergency repairs. It also provides the capacity to take in even the largest rush jobs without disrupting the normal workflow. On almost any day, there is one such job, which may require 20,000 sq. in. or more of cutting, and which must be completed and shipped within a few days. "Our scheduling system keeps production seamless, without jeopardizing the smooth flow of other work through the shop," said Brian, whose nearly 20 years of experience in EDM have made him extremely knowledgeable about the capabilities of wire EDM and how it relates to the needs of his customers. He has experienced the evolution of EDM technology from a hands-on perspective, beginning in the shop during his teens working after school and during vacations. It was Brian who saw the need for wire EDM machines that could compete for speed with laser and water jet. He took his ideas for an ultra-high-volume production machine to Japan for four days of meetings with Mitsubishi's chief designers and engineers. Brian's ideas were incorporated in succeeding generations of EDMs.