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Waterjet Cutting Machine

Everything You Need to Know About Waterjet Cutting Technology


Waterjet cutting is an innovative method of precisely cutting material using an extremely high-pressure jet of water mixed with abrasive particles. Compared to traditional cutting techniques, waterjet machines offer key advantages - no heat damage to the material, high precision, fast and automated operation, the ability to cut almost any material, and more.

In waterjet cutting, an intensifier pump capable of generating pressures up to 90,000 psi accelerates water through a nozzle made of ultrahard materials like sapphire or diamond at high speeds. Right before exiting the nozzle, abrasive substances like garnet or olivine sand are introduced into the high-velocity water stream. This abrasive-laced waterjet then cuts through the target material by eroding it away along precise paths directed by multi-axis machine systems.

Waterjet machines are highly versatile and adaptable automated cutting systems used across industries ranging from manufacturing to aerospace to artwork.

How Waterjet Cutting Works

The Waterjet Cutting Machine utilizes the kinetic energy of an extremely high-pressure stream of water to cut through material. Intensifier pumps in waterjet systems use hydraulics to amplify water pressure from normal levels to up to 90,000 psi. High pressure water would flow through a tiny sapphire or diamond nozzle orifice itself without doing any cutting. This is where abrasives come into play.

The high-pressure water gets combined with abrasive substances like garnet, olivine or aluminum oxide through an abrasive inlet system right before the nozzle. The abrasives get injected into the water stream and accelerate to high speeds. The fast-flowing waterjet stream allows these abrasive particles to impact the target material with immense kinetic energy, thereby steadily eroding it away by cutting narrow channels into it.

Waterjet machines have five main components:

  • High pressure pump
  • Abrasive inlet equipment
  • Cutting head with precision nozzle
  • High pressure tubing directing the jet
  • Catcher tank that collects the fluid after cutting

By precision directing of the abrasive Waterjet Technology stream across workpieces, automated multi-axis waterjets can cut intricate complex shapes rapidly and accurately through a wide array of materials.

There are two main varieties of waterjet cutting machines:

● Pure Waterjets

As the name suggests, these systems utilize a high pressure stream of just water without any abrasives added to it. Pure waterjets can cut softer materials like rubber, foam, and food items where the high-speed water stream alone provides sufficient cutting power.

● Abrasive Waterjets

The more common type of waterjet, abrasive waterjet, uses the kinetic impact provided by abrasive particles mixed into the high-pressure water stream to cut harder materials like metals, glass, stone, composites, plastics and more. The abrasives make these systems widely versatile across many applications.

There are also hybrid waterjet machines which combine high pressure waterjet cutting with other machining methods like laser, plasma or oxy-fuel cutting on the same work platform, offering additional flexibility.

Waterjet Applications, Benefits and Limitations

Waterjet Technology provides distinct advantages that can benefit many cutting and machining applications across a diverse range of industries:

Materials cut using Water Jet Cutting:

  • Metals including steel, aluminum, copper, brass, gold, titanium
  • Composite & laminates
  • Stone & glass
  • Foam & insulation
  • Rubbers & plastics
  • Wood products
  • Acrylics, fiberglass, graphite
  • Food products

Benefits:

  • Precise cutting with narrow kerfs and no material warp or distortion
  • Minimal heat affected zones with cool cutting
  • Rapid machining with high production rates
  • Automated multi-axis 3D contouring of complex parts
  • Applicable to almost any material
  • Waste minimization with dustless cutting

Limitations:

  • Not efficient for very hard materials requiring high abrasive use
  • Initial equipment and operation costs can be higher
  • Noise and mess requiring careful containment
  • High pressure systems require care and maintenance cursor* Graphite and some composites can be difficult to cut effectively
Waterjet Cutting

Operating and Maintaining Waterjet Cutting Machines

Operating a Waterjet Systems requires expertise in aspects ranging from parameter selection and optimization, fixturing of workpieces, software programming, to monitoring consumable lifetimes. System operating pressure, abrasive flow rate, cutting speed and the nozzle height and angle need to be set precisely based on factors like material type and desired edge quality and tolerance.

To maintain performance and accuracy, waterjet machines require care and scheduled maintenance procedures:

  • Inspecting and cleaning abrasive cutting heads
  • Checking high pressure seals and valves
  • Monitoring pump pressure and abrasive levels
  • Replacing consumable components like nozzle inserts periodically
  • Checking and tightening hydraulic connections

Waterjet operators need proper training to expertly run these machines at peak efficiency while maintaining tight tolerances, optimizing cutting speeds based on the application, and minimizing overall operating costs.

Trends and Developments in Waterjet Cutting

The versatility, precision and reliability provided has led to waterjet cutting rapidly transitioning from niche to mainstream usage across a rising number of industries and applications. Automakers, aerospace companies, metal fabricators, manufacturers and more have been adopting waterjet equipment at increasing rates assisted also by their Class 1 safety ratings and green credentials.

Several technological upgrades and innovations have expanded waterjet capacities further:

  • Ultrahigh pressure pump systems rated up to 140,000 psi
  • Improved abrasive metering and mixing for efficiency
  • Software integrations for production dashboards and remote access
  • Job-site ready portable waterjet equipment
  • Robotic waterjet integration enhancing automation

The global waterjet cutting machine market has been projected to grow at over 8% CAGR over the next years as more end-user industries shift towards waterjet technology.

Final Words

Driven by a high-pressure abrasive water stream capable of achieving extremely fine and fast precision cutting on virtually any material, waterjet cutting machines are transforming manufacturing and fabrication. With rising adoption across sectors buoyed by consistent innovations and advancements, waterjet systems offer automated, versatile and competitive precision cutting solutions to build a range of products.

The increasing popularity of Waterjet Solutions seems poised to develop further as businesses aim to enhance productivity, efficiency, quality and capabilities. More companies are realizing the advantages waterjets provide over incumbent technologies like laser or plasma cutting and making the switch. Integrations with automation, IoT and data analytics have also expanded the potential applications for both small job shops and large-scale operations.

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