Sodick AL35G

The Sodick AL35G is a compact, high-precision CNC sinker EDM machine from Sodick's AL-G series, applying the company's linear motor drive technology to a smaller work envelope that targets precision tool room sinker EDM applications, high-accuracy mold insert work, and medical device component manufacturing. With X/Y/Z travels of 350 mm × 250 mm × 300 mm and a workpiece capacity of 400 kg, the AL35G is the entry point to Sodick's linear motor sinker EDM platform — bringing the positioning accuracy and surface finish advantages of linear drive technology to shops that do not require the larger work envelopes of the AL60G or AG series.

All three primary axes of the AL35G use Sodick's linear motor direct-drive technology, eliminating ballscrews and mechanical transmission from the drive system entirely. For a sinker EDM machine in the compact-to-mid range, this design decision has measurable consequences: zero backlash throughout the full axis travel range, positioning resolution at the sub-micron level, and servo response that is mechanically decoupled from load and position — meaning electrode positioning accuracy at the start of a burn matches accuracy at the end of a multi-hour cycle. For precision mold insert work where cavity wall straightness, corner sharpness, and surface uniformity are critical, the linear motor advantage is directly visible in finished part quality.

The AL35G uses Sodick's SP generator system with K-SMC adaptive machining control, the same fundamental generator architecture used across the AL and AG series with current range scaled to the machine's electrode capacity. The SP generator's pulse waveform flexibility enables Sodick's technology team to develop highly optimized conditions for specific material pairs, and K-SMC's real-time gap monitoring adjusts pulse conditions and feed rate automatically to sustain productive erosion without operator supervision. Surface finish of Ra 0.1 µm or finer is achievable on the AL35G in fine-finishing configuration, which represents the top tier of precision available from a compact sinker EDM machine.

The AL35G's LN2W CNC provides graphical orbit programming, electrode management, and Sodick's material-electrode technology database. Automation options include an optional automatic electrode changer and compatibility with Erowa and System 3R tooling systems, enabling the AL35G to participate in automated cell configurations where workpiece setup and electrode management are robotically assisted. For medical device manufacturers and precision die shops operating 24-hour production schedules, the AL35G's automation compatibility extends unattended productive hours significantly.

The AL35G competes in the precision compact sinker EDM segment against Mitsubishi Electric's EA8 ADV and EA12 ADV machines and ONA's AX series. Its primary competitive differentiation is the linear motor drive system, which provides measurable positioning and finish advantages over mechanically-driven alternatives. For shops whose work demands the finest available finish and accuracy in a compact package, the AL35G delivers these attributes; shops whose requirements are met by mechanical drive sinker EDM will find lower capital cost options in competitors' product lines.