Sodick AX350L

$180,000 - $260,000 Updated 2026-03-16

Key Specifications

X Travel

350 mm (13.8 in)

Y Travel

250 mm (9.84 in)

Z Travel

300 mm (11.8 in)

Weight

617 lbs (280 kg)

Accuracy

±0.001 mm

work table size

600 x 400 mm (23.6 x 15.7 in)

Overview

The Sodick AX350L is a precision sinker EDM with 350 x 250 x 300 mm X/Y/Z axis travel, representing Sodick's application of linear motor drive technology to the ram EDM (die sinking) segment. While most competing sinker EDM machines rely on ball screws or rack-and-pinion drives for their Z-axis ram motion, the AX350L uses a linear motor on the Z axis to deliver the sub-micron servo response that distinguishes Sodick's approach to sinker EDM. This frictionless drive eliminates stick-slip at very low feed rates — the operating regime that defines precision sinker EDM — and allows the machine to respond to arc detection and gap control signals with significantly lower latency than conventional drive systems.

The AX350L is powered by Sodick's linear amplifier generator technology, which delivers low-energy, high-frequency discharge pulses without the transistor switching noise that conventional generators produce. This discharge quality is critical for fine-finish sinker EDM, where surface integrity at Ra 0.05-0.10 um requires extremely controlled spark energy. The linear amplifier circuit enables the AX350L to produce mirror finishes and close-tolerance cavities in hardened tool steels, cemented carbide, and titanium alloys that represent the most demanding sinker EDM applications in mold, medical, and aerospace toolmaking.

The machine's 350 x 250 mm X/Y travel and 300 mm Z stroke place it squarely in the mid-size sinker EDM class, appropriate for injection mold cavities and cores in the 200-300 mm range, die casting inserts, and medical implant tooling. The maximum electrode weight of 30 kg on the Z-axis head covers the full range of copper and graphite electrodes encountered in typical mold and die applications. Sodick's LQ controller manages the electrode library, material-specific technology tables, and C-axis rotation (when equipped with rotary toolholder).

The AX350L competes with GF AgieCharmilles FORM S 350, Mitsubishi Electric EA12-ADV, and Makino EDAC3 in the mid-size precision sinker EDM segment. Its linear motor Z-axis differentiates it from most competitors in this class, which continue to use ball-screw ram drives. For shops where mold surface quality and deep-narrow cavity geometry are primary requirements, the AX350L's generator and drive combination represents a meaningful capability advantage.

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
X-Axis Travel	350 mm (13.8 in)
Y-Axis Travel	250 mm (9.84 in)
Z-Axis Travel	300 mm (11.8 in)
Work Table Size	600 x 400 mm (23.6 x 15.7 in)
Max Workpiece Weight	500 kg (1,102 lb)
Max Electrode Weight	30 kg (66 lb)
Drive System	Linear motor Z axis; linear motor X, Y axes
Generator	Linear amplifier generator
Surface Finish	Ra 0.05 um achievable (mirror finish)
Positioning Accuracy	±0.001 mm
CNC Control	Sodick LQ controller
Dielectric	Oil-type dielectric with temperature control
Machine Weight	10,913 lbs (4,950 kg)
Accuracy Guarantee	10-year positioning accuracy guarantee
C Axis	Optional rotary electrode spindle
Max Workpiece Dimension	21.26" × 19.69" × 3.94" (540 × 500 × 100 mm)
Max Weight Of Workpiece	661 lbs (300 kg)
X Axis Travel	13.78" (350mm)
Y Axis Travel	13.78” (350 mm)
Z Axis Travel	4.72" (+3.94")* (120mm +100mm)
U V Axis Travel	3.15” x 3.15” (80 x 80 mm)
Max Taper Angle	±15° (at 3.94" / 100mm thickness)
Wire Electrode Diameter	φ0.002" ~ φ0.010" (φ0.05 ~ φ0.25 mm)
Max Wire Feed Rate Mm S	590 in/min (250 mm/sec)
Wire Tension N	3 ~ 25 N
Distance From Floor To Table	37.40" (950 mm)
Machine Dimensions	62.99" × 98.62" × 86.02" (1,600 × 2,505 × 2,185 mm)Body height: 84.45" (2,145mm)
Machine Installation	118.11" × 145.67" (3,000 × 3,700 mm)
Air Pressure	0.5 MPa, 30 NL/min
External Dimensions	61.81″ × 29.53″ × 57.09″ (1,570 × 750 × 1,450 mm)
Machine Weight	617 lbs (280 kg)
Dielectric Fluid	EDM Oil (Class 4, Type 3 Petroleum)
Service Tank Capacity	64.7 gal (245 L)
Required Dielectric Fluid	146.6 gal (555 L)
Filtration Method	Replaceable Paper Filter (Internal pressure, 2-cylinder)
Cooling Unit	Standard (Inverter type)
Features	Sodick AX350L (Oil)
Dielectric Type	Oil
Carbide Capability	✓ Zero cobalt depletion
Extended Submersion	✓ Days/weeks
Auto Wire Threading	✓ Standard
Surface Finish Quality	Excellent
Overburn	Minimal
Lights Out Operation	✓ Ideal
Precision Level	Ultra-Precision
Min Drive Unit	Standard
Drive Technology	Linear Motor
10 Year Positioning Guarantee	✓
Taper Capability	±15°
Best For	Carbide dies, precision parts, larger work envelope

Specifications sourced from sodick.com — verified 2026-03-28

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Linear motor Z-axis provides sub-micron servo response and zero stick-slip at the ultra-low feed rates used for fine-finish sinker EDM — a genuine differentiator from ball-screw competitors
Linear amplifier generator delivers low-energy, high-frequency pulses without transistor switching noise, enabling mirror finishes to Ra 0.05 um on hardened tool steel and carbide
Sodick's 10-year positioning accuracy guarantee applies to the AX350L's linear motor axes — long-term accuracy stability without ballscrew wear or periodic recalibration
350 x 250 mm X/Y travel covers the full range of mid-size mold inserts, die casting cores, and medical tooling cavities
LQ controller with pre-loaded technology tables for hundreds of electrode/workpiece material combinations reduces skilled programmer dependency for routine jobs

Limitations

Linear motor and linear amplifier generator technology commands a price premium of 20-40% over ball-screw sinker EDMs with transistor generators at equivalent travel size
Oil dielectric system requires fire suppression provisions and proper ventilation — higher facility infrastructure cost than water-based wire EDM installations
Z-axis stroke of 300 mm limits deep-cavity work on tall workpieces — shops with frequent deep mold base requirements may need a machine with extended Z capacity

Best For

Precision injection mold shops producing optical-grade lens molds, medical device molds, and consumer electronics molds requiring mirror-finish cavities at Ra 0.05-0.10 um Die casting toolmakers building aluminum and zinc die casting inserts where cavity surface quality directly affects part cosmetics and ejection behavior Aerospace and defense suppliers sinking complex contoured cavities in nickel superalloys and titanium where electrode geometry and surface finish are tightly controlled Medical implant toolmakers requiring fine-surface sinker work on stainless steel, cobalt-chrome, and titanium tooling components

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What makes Sodick's linear amplifier generator different from transistor generators?

Conventional sinker EDM generators use transistor-switched circuits that produce discharge pulses with switching noise and finite energy resolution at very low power settings. Sodick's linear amplifier generator controls discharge energy with analog precision across the full power range, including the extremely low energies used for mirror-finish work. The result is cleaner spark formation, more uniform crater size distribution on the machined surface, and lower heat-affected zone depth — critical for mold surfaces where post-EDM polishing must remove a minimum of material.

02 Can the AX350L machine graphite electrodes as well as copper?

The AX350L is a sinker EDM machine that uses electrodes — it does not machine electrodes. Both copper and graphite electrodes can be used in the AX350L for workpiece sinking. Graphite electrodes provide higher material removal rates and lower electrode wear at roughing conditions; copper electrodes are preferred for ultra-fine finishing and sharp corner reproduction. The LQ controller includes separate technology tables for copper and graphite electrode/steel workpiece combinations.

03 How does the AX350L's Z-axis linear motor benefit fine-finish sinker EDM?

In fine-finish sinker EDM, the electrode is retracted and re-advanced thousands of times per minute in response to gap condition monitoring. Ball-screw drives have finite stiffness and backlash that introduce lag and positioning error in this high-cycle reciprocating motion. The AX350L's linear motor Z axis responds to gap control signals with sub-millisecond latency, allowing tighter gap control, more consistent spark distribution across the electrode face, and better surface finish uniformity — particularly in deep, narrow cavities where flushing is restricted.

04 What workpiece materials can the AX350L process?

The AX350L can sink any electrically conductive material. Common workpieces include P20, H13, D2, and S7 tool steels; 420 stainless steel; cemented tungsten carbide; titanium alloys (Ti-6Al-4V); nickel superalloys (Inconel 718, Hastelloy); and copper-beryllium. Each material class has dedicated technology tables in the LQ controller. Carbide requires modified dielectric management due to cobalt dissolution. Titanium sinking requires careful generator settings to minimize surface contamination.

05 Is the AX350L available with a rotary C axis?

Yes. Sodick offers an optional rotary electrode spindle (C axis) for the AX350L, enabling spiral groove sinking, multi-sided cavity work without workpiece repositioning, and helical feature generation. The C axis is controlled through the LQ controller and is synchronized with X, Y, Z motion for complex electrode path programming. C-axis work is common in medical device tooling, turbine blade fixturing, and specialized aerospace cavity applications.