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EDM 34 MoldMaking Technology November 2015 "store," "rework" or "discard," and then placed in the appro- priate area. These rules prevent operator indecision and reduce buildup of graphite inventory that may have little or no value. Some operations still prefer to purchase large blocks of graphite on a competitive, cubic–inch basis, rather than purchase each electrode blank to size. This gives the EDM department the luxury of same-day electrode production. However, there is a severe cost penalty associated with this technique, as there are hidden costs related to graphite mate- rial utilization. The cut graphite block illustrated in Figure 3 represents what might be typical of any EDM mold depart- ment cutting graphite on an as-needed basis. After cutting This type of graphite block is typical of any EDM mold department that cuts graphite on an as-needed basis. It shows the excessive amount of remnant material that remains after using this method of graphite utilization. Many shops focused on mold maintenance or emergency repair operations order graphite to size. Mold designers identify areas within the mold that require EDM, create blank sizes and indicate those specifc sizes on a purchasing list. FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4 Graphite Material Type (0.2500 x 0.2500 x 3.000) Graphite Material Type (0.3750 x 1.000 x 3.000)