|
|
|
What is an abrasive water jet or hydrojet cutting machine system?
Abrasive jet and water only jet cutter uses the technology of high pressure water typically between 30,000
and 60,000 psi, to create extremely concentrated force to cut stuff. A water cutter pressurizes a
stream of pure water flow (without abrasive) to cut materials such as foam, rubber, plastic, cloth, carpet
|
and wood. Abrasive jet cutters mix abrasive garnet to a pressurized water stream to cut harder materials. Examples are: stainless steel,
titanium, glass, ceramic tile, marble and granite. Waterjet metal cutting machine yields very little heat therefore no heat
affected zone (HAZ),
and hence in most cases will not require further heat treatment. Water jet machining is also considered as a "cold cut"
process and therefore is safe for cutting flammable materials such as plastic and polymers. With a reasonable cutting speed
setting, the edges resulted are often of satisfactory. Precision water jet cutter is a very handy and versatile cutting equipment
with affordable price for stone cutting and metal working in job shops. Sometimes the system is referred as a water cut center. To
find more information, click how water jet machines work. Waterjet machines
are mostly made in USA, some in Europe and some made in China.
| |
|
Highlights of water jet machines provided by International Waterjet Machine (IWM)
- Overpass or Cantilever Stytle,
water jet cutter or abrasive waterjet cutter.
- Quick to setup and easy to program (make money on short runs)
- High accuracy control of cutting, upto 0.001mm.
- Special pressure ramping technique to prevent delaminating (cracking) brittle materials while piercing (drilling).
- Cut more than 75mm (3 inches) sheet metal at different
cutting speeds.
- IWM's waterjet cutter kerf width (the width of the cutting beam) is about 0.8mm (1/32 inch).
- Steady cutting stream, no abrasive output interruption.
- Low cutting consumable cost.
|
| |
Major Waterjet Cutting Machine Applications:
|
- Automobile, boat and aircraft manuracturing industry -- to cut irregular shaped plastic and metal parts,
as metal cutting machine and plastic cutting machine.
- Glass product industry -- whether it is artistic work or glass cover of a product, wide range of
application in glass industry, often called the glass cutter.
- Construction industry -- to cut ceramic tile, mosaic, and marble, or granite for home, commercial building
or even pavement decoration. Often referred as marble cutting machine or marble cutter,
and granite cutting machine, or granite cutter.
- Custom fabricated gaskets for both OEM and individual users.
- Machine shops -- used as general purpose metal cutting machine tool.
| |
| |
Comparison of major cutting processes:
Waterjet machines -- fast speed, able to cut thick material, good accuracy and finishing surface. Cuts virtually anything
with no heat affected zone(HAZ). Some burr occurs near cut. Waterjet is widely used as metal cutting machine, glass cutting machine, ceramic tile cutting machine, marble cutting machine, and granite cutting machine.
Wire EDM -- slow speed, but able to cut very thick material. EDM has very high accuracy and excellent surface finish.
No burr, a little HAZ. Only electrically conductive materials can be cut with EDM.
Laser -- good speed and precise cut when cutting thin material. Laser yeilds no burr, a little HAZ. Laser is suitable to
cut non-reflective mild steel.
Plasma -- cuts at high speeds and generates heat that leaves rough edges. Accuracy is not very high with plasma cutting.
Plasma cutting Can cut electrically conductive materials, up to 6" of aluminum. Process yields HAZ. Special gas need to assist
the process.
For more detailed infomation, including comparison to milling and punch,
see Comparison Matrix of various cutters.
|
|
dual intensifier waterjet system available now, 