EDM is a technology that uses the phenomenon of galvanic corrosion to process metals, and it is mainly applied to the processing of high melting point, high strength and high toughness materials. EDM is mainly used to generate high temperature on the metal surface through the pulse spark discharge between the electrodes of the workpiece and the tool electrode after the workpiece is energised, so that the metal is melted and vapourised and gradually chiseled out to a certain depth, so that a variety of high-quality machining tasks such as cutting, shaping and piercing can be accomplished.

The electrodes of EDM are usually materials such as copper or graphite, which can process workpieces of arbitrary shapes; while the electrode of the tool for EDM wire-cutting processing is brass wire, so it can cut through straight-faced parts and workpieces of various complex shapes. In addition, the advantages of EDM include high machining quality, low tool hardness requirements, no hardening of the workpiece, the ability to machine any two-dimensional surface with a straight line as the bus, and improved energy and material utilisation.