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CNC ABRASIVE WATERJET CUTTING MACHINES

Overview:
CNC Abrasive Waterjet cutting machines are competitive options to CNC Laser cutting machines (for higher thickness), to CNC Plasma cutting machines (for best surface finish) and to CNC wire cut EDM (for faster production with less accuracy).

• Abrasive Waterjet can cut virtually any material like Stainless Steel, Mild Steel, Hardened Tool Steel, Aluminum, Inconel, Titanium, Glass, Brass, Coper, Composites, Ceramics, Natural Stones etc in desired shape with CNC control of motion.
  
  Comparision with Other Machining Process:
  Waterjet versus Wire EDM
  
• 5-10 times faster



• cuts conductive and nonconductive material



• No heat-affected zone

Waterjet versus Laser

• One-third the initial investment



• Cuts reflective material and parts up ro 2" thick



• No thermal distortion

Waterjet versus Machining Centers

• Less set-up time



• No preprocessing of material



• Better use of material

Typical users of Abrasivejet Technology:

• Job Shops



• Wire EDM Shops



• Laser Shops



• Aerospace Industries



• Tooling shops



• Prototype and R & D Shops



• Maintenance and Repair Shops



• Original Equipment Manufacturer



• Metal Fabricators



• Abrasivejet speciality shops

Working Principle:

It uses normal drinking water or R.O. Water to cut the material. Water enters to the High pressure pump which may be Direct Driven Pump (latest Technology) or Intensifier Pump. A pump uses the plunger or plunger-piston biscuit and it increases pressure of water around 50000 psi or 100000 psi respectively. Now high pressure water enters top of nozzle where it passes through Orifice and Mixing jewel where abrasive is added to water by gravity action. Combination of abrasive particles and high pressure of water is good enough to cut most of the material by eroding action.

Components of Waterjet cutting machines:

1. High Pressure Pump



2. High Pressure Piping



3. Computer Controller



4. Precise Software



5. High Pressure Nozzle



6. Strong Catcher Tank



7. Precise X, Y and Z axis Travel for Nozzle

1. High Pressure Pump :(Comparision)

Direct Driven Pump :

Working Principle: Simple Plunger Type pump & it drives the plunger using crank similar to Automobile

Maintenance & Trouble-Shoot : Simple & similar to I.C. Engines. Less skilled Technician can maintain the pump

Pump Efficiencies : Expansion energy of pumped water is recovered by giving it to crank

Heating Problem :No need for Heat Exchanger as a result Operates at 95 % efficiency

Not much safety measures

No Electricity consumption while no cutting so consumes 30 % less elctricity than Intensifier Pump

Plunger Speed : 30 inches/sec so For same out flows Plungers, Cylinders and Check valves sizes are Smaller

No pressure ripple Effect - Due to 30 small dischrges per second, very smooth operation & least pressure ripples

Noise Level is Least

Intensifier Pump :

Working Principle: Having plunger-piston biscuit & it drives the plunger using Hydraulic Oil

Maintenance & Trouble-Shoot : Complex and special training is necessary for Technicians

Pump Efficiencies : Expansion energy of pumped water is not recoverable & dumped in oil

Heating Problem :Water Heat Exchanger is needed to cool oil as a result Operates at 70 % efficiency

With large Accumulator it has some safety measures

It runs continuously irrespective of cutting so 30% more electricity consumption

Plunger Speed : 6 inches/sec so For same out flows Plungers, Cylinders and Check valves sizes are much larger.

No pressure ripple Effect - Due to 1 or 2 large discharges per second, it requires accumulator and produces defects from pressure ripples

Noise Level is much higher.

Precise Software:

Sofftware is much important in waterjet than other machining process because control of waterjet. As you go faster with waterjet, jet of water will lag behind it as a result sometimes it can't cut through material. As you go slower with waterjet, jet of water will cut large portion of material so kerf width will more. So it is necessary to control the jet and to feed appropreate speeds for different thickness and different hardness of material.

Also software makes important contribution to draw different drawings, to provide tool path, to make proggramme, to nest different drawings and to operate the machine.

For more information please contact rakeshmdc@gmail.com