Sodick AQ750L

The AG100L offers 1,000 x 800 mm travel versus the AQ750L's 750 x 500 mm. Both use the same SP43A e-pak generator and linear motor drive architecture. The AQ750L is the right choice for shops whose largest parts run in the 700-750 mm range — it costs less and has a smaller footprint than the AG100L while covering that work adequately. The AG100L is needed when work regularly exceeds 750 mm in X or 500 mm in Y, or when the 3,000 kg workpiece capacity of the AG100L (vs. 2,000 kg on the AQ750L) is required.

The AQ750L uses a cast iron and granite composite machine bed that provides two advantages over all-cast-iron construction: higher vibration damping (granite absorbs vibration better than cast iron alone) and lower thermal expansion (granite expands less than steel or cast iron, reducing thermally induced positioning error across a 750 mm travel envelope). Combined with the linear motor drives' inherent zero-backlash positioning, the structural design gives the AQ750L accuracy characteristics that are difficult to achieve on large-format conventional wire EDMs.

Yes. Stacked cutting — running multiple parts at once in a vertical stack — is a common production technique on large wire EDMs. The AQ750L's 300 mm Z-axis height and 2,000 kg capacity support substantial stacks. The SP43A e-pak generator's adaptive discharge control is particularly valuable in stacked cutting because the generator compensates for flushing variations between the individual parts in the stack. Discuss your stacking requirements with Sodick's application engineers to confirm that the stack height, material, and spacing are within the machine's optimized operating range.

For most large die work in hardened tool steel (D2, H13, M2), 0.25 mm brass wire with a coated zinc surface layer (often marketed as 'coated wire' or 'gamma wire') provides the best balance of cutting speed, surface finish, and break resistance. Coated wire's zinc diffusion layer during cutting creates better flushing efficiency than plain brass, which is especially valuable on the long, straight cuts common in large die sections. For carbide inserts or fine-detail sections within a large die, 0.20 mm plain brass wire offers better corner accuracy at the cost of some cutting speed.

Key maintenance items include: dielectric fluid quality monitoring and periodic changes (typically every 6-12 months depending on use), ion exchange resin replacement to maintain dielectric resistivity, filter element replacement, wire guide inspection and replacement (diamond guides typically last 1,500-3,000 hours depending on wire type and cut conditions), and linear encoder scale cleaning. Sodick recommends annual factory-authorized preventive maintenance visits for calibration verification and system inspection. The linear motor drives themselves have no wearing components and require no periodic replacement.