High Rail Spreader Bars

All movements of the motion control system are referenced from the factory set home position and each axis has a home position programmed into the controls.  When a workpiece is positioned on the cutting table, the position in which the cutting is to start is redefined as home for that job during setup.  The servo drive motor has a letter assigned to identify the axis it controls.

• The X-axis moves a carriage that cutting tools are mounted to, side-to-side along the cross beam.
• The Y-axis moves the cross beam front-to-rear along the side beams. For programming, the Y-axis is the primary side beam on the left and a V-axis is used to designate the secondary side beam on the right.  They always move in tandem.
• The Z-axis moves the cutting tool mounted to a carriage up and down.
• When utilizing a 5-axis water jet, the A-axis and C-axis operate together to produce a bevel angle up to 60 degrees for the water stream. The C-axis can rotate 440° in each direction around the z-axis and the A-axis is located 45° off the Z-axis and rotates with the C-axis.

The Aquavision Di software uses an .NC part program to control the motion control system.  Part programs are typically created from CAM (computer aided manufacturing) software which creates the machine code based on the DIN 66025 specification.  G codes control the axis movement and related settings and M codes control the execution of the part program and the operation of the cutting heads.

Once the program is loaded, a Dry Run feature allows you to execute the part program axis movement as fast as practical with the cutting heads turned off.  This feature helps validate the program path and will ensure there is no interference from clamps or uneven parts.  Parameters including feed rates and dwell times can be changed or adjusted based on the results of the dry run.

Tuning the waterjet program is a matter of balancing the trade-off of several parameters to produce the best results for your criteria: Cut Quality vs. Productivity vs. Cost vs. Equipment Wear.

The following are the key programing parameters that affect quality of the finished cut, its speed, and the cost of abrasive usage.

Experimentation is required to optimize the balance:

• Material being cut
• Material Thickness
• Type of cut (linear, circular, pierce, etc.)
• Desired Edge Quality
• Number of Cutting Tools
• Water pressure
• Orifice and nozzle size
• Feed rate
• Abrasive type and delivery rate
• Cutting head wear

There are too many features incorporated into the Aquavision Di control software to list that make it such a robust system and many additional options are available as you custom configure your waterjet system.  Below are just a few highlights of features that stand out:

• Multiple Carriage Configurations: Cutting heads can be configured for 3-axis or 5-axis water only cutting or abrasive cutting. The Aquavision Di controller supports dual carriage mid-rails and multi head high rail water jets.
• Handheld Pendant: The handheld pendant is an extension of the Control Console, allowing you to operate many of the machine functions remotely. The pendant allows you to move close to the motion control system and more accurately position the cutting head, verify the fixturing, and run many program features.
• Plate Alignment: The Plate Alignment feature calculates the program zero position and the rotation of the part or sheet and adjusts the execution of the part program.
• Program Validation: The Program Validation feature checks a part program for errors in a simulation mode only.  The feature checks for cutting path problems and program syntax errors

• Program Interruption Recovery: A part program can be interrupted if an operational issue arises, (e.g. replacing a worn orifice, broken nozzle, loss of water pressure, power issue, etc.) The Aquavision Di Program Interruption Recovery feature can return the cutting head to the point where the part program stopped, or any other designated point on the program path, and resume the part program.
• Return to Path: The controller logs the coordinates and axis position of the cutting head when a program is suspended allowing the cutting head to be moved for any reason. When engaging the Return to Path feature, the head will be returned to its last position and the axis oriented to continue the part program.
• Block Retrace: The Block Retrace feature allows the part program to be run backwards along the part program path without water pressure and abrasive functions active. This feature allows the cutting head to be backed up to re-cut areas that may not have been cut due to an interruption.
• Block Search: The block search feature works in conjunction with the part program’s graphic representation displayed on the Aquavision Di controller.  By selecting a segment on the display, the related program block number can be used to relocate the cutting head to that position.