WHY USE SPECIALTY ALLOYS ANYWAY?
An alloy is a substance made by melting two or more elements together, at least one of them metal. Specific Alloys are used because their chemical and physical properties are superior for an application than that of the pure element components. Typical improvements include corrosion resistance, improved wear, special electrical or magnetic properties, and heat resistance. Other times, alloys are used because they retain the key properties of component metals yet are less expensive. Metals in this category have a few things in common: they may be difficult to machine, have unique properties that need to be preserved in the final piece part and are expensive to buy!!
CUTTING TITANIUM, STAINLESS STEEL AND OTHER SPECIALTY ALLOYS?
TITANIUM
Titanium can be alloyed with elements to produce strong, lightweight alloys for many industries including aerospace, military, industrial processes, automotive, agriculture, medical, orthopedic and more. It has an excellent strength to weight ratio, a high melting point and is extremely resistant to nearly all forms of corrosion. Although Titanium is not as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel, it is a very difficult metal to machine resulting in high tooling costs with a risk of scrap.
STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steel is a group of ferrous alloys that contain a minimum of approximately 11% chromium to prevent the iron from rusting while providing heat-resistant properties. Resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, and familiar luster make stainless steel an ideal material for many applications where both the strength of steel and corrosion resistance are required. Thin gauge stainless steel is often cut with lasers or plasma, but these methods involve extreme heat making the work piece susceptible to hardening. Subsequent machining may be more difficult with poor edge quality requiring a secondary deburring process.
SPECIALITY ALLOYS AND SUPER ALLOYS
These alloys are considered “special” in that they were developed for specific uses and are grouped according to the particular application for which they were designed. Super Alloys are typically very high in strength and corrosion resistant and maintain these characteristics even at elevated temperatures. Examples of such alloys are Hastelloy, Inconel and Tool Steels. These materials can be difficult to shape as the work piece hardens and deforms quickly under heat.
WATERJET ADDRESSES THE HEAT SENSITIVITY AND MACHINING CHALLENGES
Waterjet systems offer several valuable advantages and addresses heat sensitivity and machining challenges:
NO HEAT AFFECTED ZONE (HAZ)
Water jet cutting is a cold process that uses high-pressure water with an abrasive to cut through the metal. Heat is not used to melt the material as a laser and plasma cutter would use, so there is no heat affected zones (“HAZ”) where the cut was made, which means no deformation as a result of the heat, no warping, and no metallurgical change. There are no hazardous fumes or vapors thrown into the air, making the process environmentally friendlier.
SUPERIOR EDGE FINISH
Edges are free of contamination and burrs, in contrast to mechanical methods that have cutting tools come into contact and heat the metal. If a secondary process is required for extremely tight tolerances, there is no hardened edge to grind off. Parts will be immediately available for continued processing without having to wait for materials to cool.
DIVERSE ARRAY OF MATERIALS THAT CAN BE CUT
Waterjet Cutting can cut Titanium, Stainless Steel and Specialty Alloys that are significantly thicker (e.g., Stainless Steel up to 8” thick, Aluminum Block up to 20” thick) than a laser or plasma cutter could even contemplate. Abrasive Waterjet Cutting can also be used to cut materials other than metals too.
DETAILED GEOMETRY
Waterjetting supports very detailed geometry with tight tolerances and allows for tight part placement, including common-line, for nesting parts. This optimizes sheet utilization and improves yields.
LEARN MORE:
See our library of users that have leveraged Abrasive CNC Waterjet Cutting to drive their production operations in our Resource Center. If you have a tough material you would like to discuss a Test Cut/Application Analysis for, just Contact Us about your project.
NEED A BETTER SOLUTION THAN HEAT FOR CUTTING PLATE?
Abrasive waterjet cutting is a cold process and does not use heat to melt the material on a cut line. No HAZ is created which means no deformation, warping or metallurgical change to your part.
To learn more about Jet Edge’s ability to cut thick plate and block with 3-axis and 5-axis waterjet solutions, view our range of Precision Waterjet Cutter Motion Systems or click the button below to be contacted directly.
JET EDGE MANUFACTURES THE MOST ACCURATE AND DURABLE MOTION SYSTEMS FOR CUTTING PLATE.
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JET EDGE IS A CUT ABOVE
UNMATCHED PRECISION & ACCURACY
Turn to Jet Edge when accuracy and speed really matter. Jet Edge Motion Systems isolate the cutting head from the catcher tank so noise and vibration do not transfer. This isolation of the tank ensures Jet Edge’s industry-leading accuracy and precision over the full life of the equipment. Applications requiring high tolerance, speed and operator efficiency will benefit greatly from the capabilities offered by the Jet Edge range of Motion Systems.
FULL LINE PROVIDER
Jet Edge is one of the few waterjet equipment companies that manufactures both its motion systems and pumps. This ensures seamless operation in the system between the pump and the motion controls and means you never get caught on service between manufacturers. Visit our accessories page to learn about the rest of the environmental systems Jet Edge makes available for your system including Abrasive Hoppers, Chillers, Abrasive Removal, Closed Loop Systems and more.
RANGE OF APPLICATIONS
Whether you are water jet cutting or abrasive cutting in 2 dimensions or 3 dimensions with a 5-axis cutting head we have the solution. Our Mid Rail and High Rail Motion systems when paired with our full range of Jet Edge Intensifier Pumps, excel across industries including steel distribution, custom manufacturing, food processing, robotic trimming, glass cutting, stone detailing, surface preparation and more. Cutting, slitting, cleaning, trimming along with other specialty applications are regularly performed with our pumps and motion systems.
PRODUCTIVITY OPTIONS
Jet Edge offers a menu of options for enhanced productivity. Lights out cutting enables machine operation without the direct supervision of a machinist. Multiple cutting heads increase productivity. Remote pump start allows pump control from the main system controls. Redundant intensifiers allow you to service your pump without bringing your system down. Load/unload systems, multiple cutting heads, heigh sensing, laser mapping, 5-axis cutting, robotic swivels, robotic integration and more allow you to design your system for the optimum productivity for your manufacturing system.
INDUSTRY LEADING CONTROL SYSTEMS
Utilizing IGEMS CAD/CAM software and an Aquavision DI fully networkable industrial PC controller, Jet Edge Motion Systems offer an enjoyable user experience. The system’s interface and commands make it easy to import or crate CAD files and programs. The optional Nesting Module provides Multi-sheet Nesting, common cutline nesting and unlike parts cutting from a single sheet to maximize material use. During operations, users are offered visibility and access to machine code via a full-featured handheld pendant.
CUSTOMIZED TECHNOLOGY & PERFORMANCE
Have a unique product or application? Jet Edge engineers and application specialists will work with you to confirm your requirements can be met with test cuts. After understanding your production goals, they will also assist in developing a custom configuration that meets your quality and productivity goals. And they will stay with you if you need additional help in implementation and system programming. Contact us to discuss your unique application!
FIND OUT IF ULTRA HIGH PRESSURE WATER WORKS FOR YOUR APPLICATION
Jet Edge application experts can engage with your operations team to assess high pressure water as a preferred processing method. We have over 35 years of helping with Custom Application and Custom Configuration.
SCHEDULE FREE APPLICATION ANALYSIS!
SEE HOW A JET EDGE WATERJET SYSTEM IS A CUT ABOVE THE REST.
Fill out the form below and one of our Waterjet experts will reach out to you to schedule a FREE application analysis.
