b&b precision wire edm

What b&b precision wire edm does

B&B Precision Wire EDM, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned precision machine shop founded in 1994 by Bud Knell and Bob Knell and now in its third generation of family management, operating from a single 8,700-square-foot facility in the Forest Hill Industrial Airpark, Maryland, convenient to I-95. Its core offering is contract Electrical Discharge Machining — wire EDM, RAM/sinker EDM, and small-hole EDM — augmented by CNC milling (Haas VF-2SS and a 2018 Okuma M560V with 4th-axis capability), surface grinding, CNC turning, gear manufacturing, die design and die repair, and in-house inspection via a Wenzel XO 87 CMM and Nikon video measuring machine. The equipment base centers on Makino (Duo 43, U6, U86) and Sodick (A300L, AQ750, AQ900L, AM35L, AQ55L) EDM machines with submerged cutting and automatic wire threaders, enabling production of large (up to 48" x 36" x 20", 6,600 lb) and tall (60" propeller) workpieces with up to ±30° taper and small-hole drilling from .013" to .236". Programming is supported by Esprit CAD/CAM and Alibre design software.

The business model is project-based contract machining: customers send RFQs for prototypes, R&D parts, or production runs; the shop quotes on complexity, tolerances, materials, and volume; and it executes in-house from start to finish, including custom wire-EDM fixturing. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and engagements are typically one-time or batch orders rather than recurring contracts. The company sells direct, with no reseller or channel partner network, and its only outbound marketing channel is its own website and direct outreach.

Customers sit almost entirely in the defense, federal research, and adjacent industrial tooling verticals, including Northrop Grumman, Cobham Defense Systems, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Naval Research Lab, Army Research Lab, NIST, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, and Teledyne Energy Systems. The shop is registered under ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and SAM (System for Award Management), which underwrites its ability to bid on U.S. federal and defense-machining work. With headcount stated at 1–10 employees and no external funding, acquisitions, or geographic expansion disclosed, scale remains intentionally small and relationship-driven.

Name

b&b precision wire edm

Legal name

B&B Precision Wire EDM, Inc.

Website

https://bbwireedm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

B&B Precision Wire EDM is a family-owned Maryland precision machine shop, founded in 1994, providing contract wire EDM, RAM EDM, small-hole EDM, and CNC milling to defense, aerospace, federal research, and industrial-tooling customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Machining Services

NAICS

Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541)

akta.pro primary industry

EDM & Electrochemical Machining (Wire/Sinker EDM, ECM) (IMAHADAF)

Keywords

• Precision wire EDM
• RAM sinker EDM
• Small hole EDM
• CNC milling services
• Precision contract machining

Headquarters

HQ city

Forest Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Precision Machining Services: Contract machining services including Wire EDM, RAM EDM, Small Hole EDM, CNC Milling, grinding, turning, and gear manufacturing. Projects range from individual parts to R&D to production runs. Revenue is project-based, typically one-time or batch orders rather than recurring contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

B&B Precision Wire EDM is a precision machine shop specializing in Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) services, including Wire EDM, RAM/Sinker EDM, and Small Hole EDM. The shop complements its EDM core with CNC milling, surface grinding, CNC turning, gear manufacturing, die design and repair, and inspection/metrology, delivering in-house prototypes to production runs for defense, aerospace, government research, and industrial customers.

Product overview

B&B Precision Wire EDM operates as a precision machine shop offering a unified suite of Electrical Discharge Machining services complemented by CNC milling and turning capabilities. The core service portfolio centers on Wire EDM, RAM/Sinker EDM, and Small Hole EDM services, augmented by surface grinding, CNC turning, and comprehensive inspection/metrology services. The company provides end-to-end precision manufacturing including die design, die repair, gear manufacturing, and contract machining. All services are delivered in-house using state-of-the-art equipment from Sodick, Makino, and Haas, enabling the shop to serve customers from individual prototypes to production runs. The company holds ITAR registration for government defense contracting work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wire EDM Services CNC Wire Electrical Discharge Machining for producing complex parts with fine finishes, quality edges, and close tolerances. Supports submerged and unsubmerged cutting with automatic wire threader for multi-cavity and complex progressive die components.
• RAM/Sinker EDM Services CNC RAM (sinker) EDM for creating blind shaped forms with high accuracy, capable of machining parts after heat treating to eliminate distortion, with automatic tool changers.
• Small Hole EDM Services CNC Small Hole EDM for drilling deep, very small holes in workpieces with speed and accuracy, featuring an automatic electrode feeder for production small hole work across hole sizes from .013 to .236 inches.
• CNC Milling Services CNC machining services using Haas VF-2SS High Speed Vertical Machining Centers and Okuma M560V CNC Machining Center with 4th-axis capability, with automatic tool changers and part probing to complete projects from start to finish in-house.
• Surface Grinding Surface grinding services using Chevalier 12 x 24 and manual 6 x 18 grinders for precision surface finishing of machined parts.
• CNC Turning Services CNC lathe turning services using a Prototrak 18" x 40" lathe for precision turned components.
• Inspection & Metrology Services In-house quality inspection using a Nikon Video Measuring Machine and Wenzel XO 87 CMM with measurement range of 800mm x 1000mm x 700mm to verify part conformance.
• Gear Manufacturing Custom gear manufacturing services delivered as part of the shop's precision machining capabilities.
• Die Design & Die Repair Precision die design and repair services including punches, die blocks, extrusion dies, and precision die and mold tooling.
• Contract Machining Full-service contract machining from prototypes to production runs, including custom wire EDM fixturing, fixtures, gauges, cams, tapers, keyways, RF housings, and die set machining.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maximum workpiece weight capacity of 6,600 lbs for wire EDM
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature15 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Makino: Global manufacturer of EDM and CNC machining centers, including several models (U6, U86, Duo 43) in B&B's equipment fleet. Adjacent as the equipment supplier whose technology stack B&B has standardized on, and a broader incumbent shaping EDM tooling trends.
• Sodick: Global manufacturer of Wire EDM, Sinker EDM, and Small Hole EDM machines. Many Sodick models (A300L, AQ750, AQ900L, AM35L, AQ55L) anchor B&B's production capability; an incumbent shaping technology choices across the EDM services industry.

Direct peers

• Cox Manufacturing Company: U.S. precision machined components manufacturer serving defense, aerospace, and industrial customers. Comparable contract-manufacturing business model and customer mix, with broader scale and longer history.
• Owens Industries: Precision machining services provider offering EDM, CNC milling, and grinding for aerospace, defense, and medical customers. Comparable in capability mix (multi-axis EDM plus CNC) and target end-markets, though typically operating at larger scale.
• GLE Precision: Precision machining and EDM services firm serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Directly comparable in core offering (Wire EDM, Sinker EDM, CNC milling) and customer verticals.
• Midwest Wire EDM Services: U.S. precision machining job shop specializing in Wire EDM and complementary EDM services for industrial customers. Directly comparable service offering, scale, and contract-manufacturing model to B&B Precision Wire EDM.
• Continental Machine Tool: Precision machining services provider with EDM and CNC capabilities. Overlaps with B&B on metal-cutting service offerings and industrial customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about b&b precision wire edm