A wire-cut machine induces an electrical discharge between the work piece and the wire or electrode. As the spark passes between the electrodes, the work piece and electrode erode.

Wire electrical discharge machining (Wire EDM) creates complex pieces from hard conductive materials. This is made possible by the intrinsic features of the process. A non-conductive fluid or electric current is used in the sparking process along with other components to prevent the process from shorting out. The dielectric then eliminates the waste material, and the process carries on from there.