Waterjet Cutting

2020/12/14

                     What is exacly water jet cutting? 

          Water jet cutting is exactly what it says, it involves using an extremely fine jet of water travelling at high velocity, into which an abrasive material is mixed for cutting hard materials such as granite and titanium. This processmakes a very fine cut into the material, known as a kerf. 
          -You can cut almost any material you desire from bread through to titanium, with virtually no limit on thickness. Giving you complete flexibility and increasing your productivity 
          -The small kerf width of a water jet cut, allows for tight nesting and optimal material usage, minimizing the costs associated with material wastage. 
          -There is no heat input to the material being cut, meaning no work hardening of the cut edge when machining metals. Materials that cannot tolerate heat can be cut. 
          -Even if you already have a plasma, laser or gas cutting machine, water jet makes an ideal partner to these processes, increasing the range of materials you  can cut, providing superior quality on high finish materials and extending the thickness range you can cut with conventional materials such as steel, improving the 
service you offer to your customers. 
          -Programming is simple. 
          -Very high tolerances can be achieved. 

                      Principles – a technical overview 

           A high pressure pump produces water at pressures up tp 4100bar. The high pressure water is delivered to a cutting head by a small bore stainless steel pipe. At this point it is passed throught a very small orifice made from sapphire or diamond which produces an extremely thin, high velocity jet of water. A metered amount of brasive particles, such as sand, is then mixed with this high velocity jet of water and focused in another nozzle called the focusing tube. The work piece to be cut rests on support grids over a tank of water. The water jet penetrates through the material and moves relative to the XY coordinates of the bridge supporting the cutting head. The excess water jet energy that exists after the jet has cut through the material, is absorbed by the tank of water.