obotic water jet cutting is just what it sounds like, the integration of the water jet’s unique and flexible cutting characteristics with the productivity and precision capabilities of robotics. Pairing these two technologies creates a cutting, finishing, material handling, and/or cleaning solution that enables you to produce complex parts and/or processes across a wide platform of operations both accurately and efficiently.
Abrasive water jet cutting offers a broader range of cutting options than any other single machine tool. No competing technology cuts as many material types in as many thicknesses to the precision of a water jet cutter.
It’s not an overstatement to call the intensifier pump the heart of a water jet cutting system. Just like the human heart pumps blood to keep the body operating at peak performance, the intensifier pump powers the water or water/abrasive mix your water jet cutting system needs to deliver the high-precision cuts the systems are known for. Of course, this analogy only goes so far, as the intensifier pump operates at exponentially higher pressures than the human heart.
In some regions, water supply is taken for granted. In others, not so much. Additionally, to keep your CNC water jet cutter and ultra-high pressure pump performing at its peak, the water needs to be maintained at a core temperature.
Water serves two primary purposes in your water jet cutting system: processing and cooling. But did you know, the water in both of those processes has a temperature standard it should meet so your system performs at its highest level? “Out-of-spec” water temperature will eventually affect cut quality and edge finish and will reduce seal, pump, and filter lifespans.
Adding the power and versatility of a water jet to your shop floor opens a whole new range of material processing opportunities. Deciding which tool to purchase requires a detailed evaluation of your options. It can be an especially daunting task for first-time water jet purchases. This 4-step buying guide is intended to help evaluate water jet cutting in your shop and hopefully guides you in your efforts.
When the spent garnet and debris (“sludge”) reaches the bottom of the slats that the work pieces are held on, or when the sludge has accumulated in the tank to a degree in which an increase of water turbulence occurs while cutting, it should be cleaned by removing the spent garnet and slug material.
Waterjet cutting starts with bringing an incoming water stream up to ultra-high pressure, usually 60,000 psi, and then directing it through high pressure lines to a cutting head. That cutting head can be mounted to a motion system gantry that travels over a “Catcher Tank” filled with water.
Waterjet cutting delivers ultra-high water pressures ranging from 60,000 psi up to 90,000 psi. And while the incoming water is not under high pressure, the jet stream produced by the pump is, and needs to be routed with specialized high pressure tubing and high pressure tubing fittings for both safety and performance.
There is a lot of information on the web about water jet cutting systems, their applications, and the companies/brands that serve the industry. However, it’s hard to know what to trust. What’s accurate? What sources contain accurate information?
INTRODUCING THE NEW PERMALIGN ARROW SL
The Jet Edge 5-Axis Abrasive Waterjets just got updated... you're going to like the performance even more!
