Electrical discharge machining creates an electrical current between the conductive workpiece and an electrically charged rod or wire composed of a brass, copper, graphite, or tungsten alloy. The spark created by the electrical current slowly erodes the material while waste material gets washed away by non-conductive fluid, such as deionized water or oil.

With EDM, manufacturers can create extremely fine and accurate details with highly polished finishes. This makes EDM ideal for the fabrication of precision dies and manufacturing molds. Since dies and molds must be able to withstand repeated use, high temperatures, and extreme pressure, they are typically manufactured from tool steel or other very hard materials. These materials are difficult to cut or machine using traditional machining methods.