Friday 12 October 2018

About water jet cutting and Benefits of water jet cutting


Waterjet cutting is the process of cutting materials by using a high pressure stream of water. For very hard materials, a granular abrasive is added to the water stream to increase the cutting power. Virtually any material can be cut using waterjet machines including plastics, metals (like steels, alloys, titanium, and copper), rubber, glass, concrete, ceramics, and stone.

The main components of a waterjet cutting machine are:
·         A high pressure pump that raises the pressure of the water to about 4000 bar.
 
·         The cutting head which directs the flow of water into a highly focused beam for accurate cutting. If required, an abrasive mixing tube forms part of the cutting head to mix the abrasive with the water.
 
·         Cutting tables that control the position of the cutting head for accurate cuts.
 
·         A control system that can be pre-programmed to perform the cut automatically.

Waterjet cutting is used in industries like aerospace and automotive shops for efficient cutting and shaping of component parts. A major advantage over other cutting techniques is the fact that the cut is performed in cold conditions, thus eliminating heat damage like melting or cracking and heat stresses like hardening or warping. The high quality finish reduces the need for further processing steps and the absence of heat and dust keeps the workplace safe and environmentally friendly.






Benefits of using waterjet cutting process

·         An important benefit of the waterjet is the ability to cut material without interfering with its inherent structure, as there is no heat-affected zone (HAZ). Minimizing the effects of heat allows metals to be cut without harming or changing intrinsic properties.] Sharp corners, bevels, pierce holes, and shapes with minimal inner radii are all possible. 
·         Waterjet cutters are also capable of producing intricate cuts in material. With specialized software and 3-D machining heads, complex shapes can be produced.
·         The kerf, or width, of the cut can be adjusted by swapping parts in the nozzle, as well as changing the type and size of abrasive. Typical abrasive cuts have a kerf in the range of 0.04 to 0.05 in (1.0–1.3 mm), but can be as narrow as 0.02 inches (0.51 mm). Non-abrasive cuts are normally 0.007 to 0.013 in (0.18–0.33 mm), but can be as small as 0.003 inches (0.076 mm), which is approximately that of a human hair. These small jets can permit small details in a wide range of applications.
·         Waterjets are capable of attaining accuracy down to 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) and repeat-ability down to 0.001 inches (0.025 mm).
·         Due to its relatively narrow kerf, waterjet cutting can reduce the amount of scrap material produced, by allowing uncut parts to be nested more closely together than traditional cutting methods. Waterjets use approximately 0.5 to 1 US gal (1.9–3.8 l) per minute (depending on the cutting head's orifice size), and the water can be recycled using a closed-loop system. Waste water usually is clean enough to filter and dispose of down a drain. The garnet abrasive is a non-toxic material that can be mostly recycled for repeated use; otherwise, it can usually be disposed in a landfill. Waterjets also produce fewer airborne dust particles, smoke, fumes, and contaminants, reducing operator exposure to hazardous materials.
·         Meat cutting using waterjet technology eliminates the risk of cross contamination since there is no contact medium (namely, a blade).

Advantages of waterjet cutting

Following are ideal merits of using waterjet cutting services that are
·         Cold cutting – no heat affected zones, no hardening
·         Omni-directional cutting – ability to cut in any direction
·         Perforates most materials without starting holes
·         Cuts virtually any material
·         Net-shape or near-net-shape parts (no secondary processing required in many applications)
·         Minimal fix Turing required
·         Environmentally friendly
·         Reduces dust and hazardous gases
·         Does not workload material – stress-free cutting
·         Flexible machine integration
·         Saves raw materials (small cutting kerf width, nesting capabilities)
·         Faster than many conventional cutting tools

I guess, now you are clear about benefits of choosing waterjet cutting. Well, if you to obtain waterjet cutting job work then have a look at here www.gkindus.com.