The Waterjet Catch Tank is used in conjunction with a Waterjet Motion System. The material being cut is placed on the Catch Tank table surface and supported by steel slats. During the Waterjet’s commissioning, the tank is leveled and filled with water. As the waterjet cutting occurs, the high pressure water introduced for cutting is deposited into the tank along with any abrasive used and cutoff material that is not captured by the slats. The catch tank has a water overflow connection for discharging the added water either directly to a drain or to a Closed Loop Filtration System. Over time, the spent garnet and debris will accumulate in the catch tank and will need to be removed.
Both the rigidity and the isolation of the Catch Tank directly impact cut quality and accuracy when waterjet cutting. Jet Edge uses heavy gauge steel for construction of all its tanks to ensure stability of the workpiece during the cut. This is very important: All Jet Edge Catch Tanks are isolated from the gantry entirely. As the water jet cuts, any vibration created at the cutting head is never transferred to the work piece since they are not joined. This is a critical distinction if you value cut finish and dimensional accuracy.
Bladder Catch Tank Option
A Bladder Catch Tank is used to raise and lower water levels in the Catch Tank to a point where the slats and work piece submerge. The raised water level dissipates the energy of the abrasive jet thereby reducing spray and dampening the noise associated with cutting. To activate the rapid change in water levels, an air bladder is incorporated into the catch tank with bladder ports cut into it to accommodate the flow of water in and out of the bladder. The catch tank water level will remain lower, until a pneumatic valve is opened allowing for compressed air to enter the bladder, forcing the water out of it. The water level on the cutting side of the catch will rise up to 2” depending upon the tank and bladder configuration. The water level is raised for cutting operations and lowered for material installation and removal.
The catch tank air bladder can be controlled in the following ways:
- Manually with ball valves located on the catch tank
- Electrically with a switch located on the controller
- Automatically from the controller software
Visit our blog on Submerged Water Jet Cutting to learn more.
RELATED CATCH TANK TOPICS
- Keep your tank clean with Abrasive Recovery
- Closed Loop Filtration System makes environmental sense
- Integrating work holding fixtures for rapid, repeatable setup
- Managing and replacing slats
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Jet Edge is a leading manufacturer of waterjet cutting machines, intensifier pumps, and accessories. Whether you’ve got a demanding application due to tight tolerance precision requirements, you need non-stop grit, power, and hard work for heavy-duty cutting, you need a custom solution to optimize your process, or you simply want a capital equipment supplier who acts like a partner seeking your long term success—it’s time to get in touch with Jet Edge.
