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?
Everyone understands the value of timely routine maintenance for all high-precision cutting and machining tools, including waterjet cutting equipment and high pressure pumps. Done correctly, per a recommended schedule, you experience higher uptime and lower total maintenance expense which provides a higher ROI on the tool’s investment.
Nature has been cutting and carving stone for billions of years. Nothing can resist the unrelenting force of water. Take the Grand Canyon, for example. Now that is a masterpiece of stone cutting with water. However, as a fabricator working with stone, you don’t have the luxury of 6 million years, give or take a few millennia, to fulfill your client’s order.
The water used in a waterjet cutting system serves two distinct and different purposes, the cutting process and hydraulics cooling. Poor water quality, as measured by the volume of suspended solids, reduces component life and increases the system’s maintenance requirements, both unnecessary and avoidable costs. By taking some simple steps to implement an optimized filter replacement practice you can maintain the high water quality you have achieved and increase the tool’s performance and operational life. Let’s explore the best practices for making this happen.
Water jet systems utilize two different technologies, water-only and abrasive cutting and each of those come in two basic cutting versions, 3-axis and 5-axis. Let’s look at the differences and advantages of each type.
The ever-growing list of materials water jet systems could process led to widespread adoption in practically every industry. Factor in the integration of CAD/CAM capability in recent years and you now have arguably the most versatile cutting solution available. Where it was common 30 years ago for people to say, “You can cut that with water?!,” today is common to hear, “You produced that 5-axis cut with those beautiful edges using water?!.” Yeah, you can cut that with water jet systems.
According to an article by TWI, a composite material is:
a combination of two materials with different physical and chemical properties. When combined, they create a specialized material to do a certain job, for instance, to become stronger, lighter, or resistant to electricity. They can also improve strength and stiffness. Companies develop and use these materials instead of traditional materials because they improve their base materials’ properties and are applicable in many situations.
If you are in the market for a better cutting solution, choices abound. First there are a plethora of different cutting technologies, including water, plasma, laser, torch, saw, shear, slitting, and more. Then there are a variety of manufacturers for each solution. Factor in your unique cutting needs and your decision matrix is already full!
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!
