Waterjet Cutting Tech Cell - Articles
Home \ Waterjet Cutting \ Articles
Waterjet Cutting Articles
Results: 50
View this Issue |
Etching 3-D images with an abrasive waterjet
Currently used primarily in art and architecture, waterjet etching is beginning to make inroads into machining and fabricating shops. The textured gripper pictured in this article is an example of a 3-D etched part.
|
View this Issue |
2-D + 3-D = 5-axis waterjet cutting
Five-axis waterjet cutting is not something you see in every fabricating operation. But for some applications where tube or precise edge cutting might be required, it makes total sense.
|
View this Issue |
The trend toward larger abrasive waterjet cutting tables
Once custom-produced on a one-off basis for specific applications, large abrasive waterjet cutting tables have become part of many standard systems, thanks mostly to advanced linear-drive technology that makes the machines more affordable.
|
View this Issue |
Sales strategy drives growth at Minnesota Fabricator
Managing a shop full of a great number of incredibly diverse, short-run, nonrepeat orders can be a complicated undertaking. Fedtech, a St. Paul, Minn., fabricator, stays on top of all the activity by giving customers a single point of contact....
|
|
View this Issue |
Abrasive waterjets move into 3-D shapes, including pipe intersections
Used for many years to cut 2-D parts, abrasive waterjet technology has evolved into cutting complex 3-D shapes, including pipe intersections and saddles. Accessories and control software that make this possible can be retrofitted to existing systems.
|
View this Issue |
Axes to mine
More fabricators haved jumped into flat waterjet cutting, so to attract new customers and carve out a niche around 3-D design and manufacturing, Maximum Industries, Irving, Texas, started five-axis cutting in 2011.
|
View this Issue |
No weak link allowed
Holloway Houston Inc. uses waterjet cutting to fabricate critical
linkages for its extreme testbed that's capable of exerting up to 5,000 tons of pulling force. Any weak link between the workpiece and
testbed structure can render the pull test...
|
View this Issue |
Three waterjet heads are better than one
Metals & Services, Addison, Ill., didn't get caught up in the excitement of the 90,000-PSI waterjet pumps that seemed to be all the rage at recent tradeshows. Company management did its own homework and found that using a 60,000-PSI pump with...
|
View this Issue |
Howe brothers discover precision fabrication
The stars of Howe and Howe Tech on Discovery Channel see metal fabricating as a creative outlet for their imaginations--while also catching the attention of the Department of Defense.
|
View this Issue |
A primer on waterjet accessories
For fabricators and metalworkers considering their first purchase of a waterjet, return on investment will be heavily influenced by features, options, and accessories that provide a match to their unique needs.Investigating and evaluating the...
|
View this Issue |
Waterjet accelerates stamper's aerospace prototyping
Metal Products Engineering, Los Angeles,began business as a Lockheed subcontractor in
1940. Since then, the company has designed
and built an impressive inventory of
customized progressive dies in their facility
for aerospace applications.
|
View this Issue |
How new waterjet technology simplifies the complex
Waterjet technology cuts angled bevels to simplify complex
manufacturing. The waterjet now can cut complex angles in plate, angles that previously could be done only in a machining center.
|
View this Issue |
Going 3-D: A matter of control
Abrasive waterjet has moved beyond flat plate cutting. Today, the jet can move in Z and tilt to cut complex designs out of thick plate, and even tube and barstock.
|
View this Issue |
Waterjet bevel cutting made easy
Improvements in waterjet technology have made bevel cutting with these machines more suitable for a greater number of fabricating shops by simplifying programming and operation and reducing the need for trial-and-error setup.
|
View this Issue |
Newer linear-drive technology improves waterjet accuracy, reduces costs
Recent developments in linear-drive technology are designed to improve waterjet cutting accuracy and safety, while making high-precision machines more affordable. Find out more about this traction-drive system that has its roots in railroad...
|
View this Issue |
Disposing of waterjet abrasive—the right way
Shop owners who cut with waterjet machines should keep abreast oflocal waste and disposal regulations.
|
View this Issue |
Counting on the combo
Revolving door manufacturer brings fabrication in-house, including a combination waterjet-plasma machine.
|
|
View this Issue |
Reusing waterjet cutting abrasive
For shops that cut using a waterjet machine, the abrasive in the pressurized stream of water, which allows the system to cut away metal, is a significant capital investment. Because of recent technology developments, a fabricator now can recycle...
|
|
View this Issue |
Making waterjet-cut parts more fatigue-resistant
Among the factors that contribute to the fatigue life of waterjet-cut parts are part geometry, cutting method, and finish. Properly designing parts, using the optimal cutting quality for the part, and choosing the best finishing process can...
|
View this Issue |
Cutting more than metal with a waterjet
With waterjet cutting equipment, shops are no longer limited to the world of metal fabrications. They can search for new business in areas that were once considered unrealistic.
|
|
View this Issue |
Laser cutting for the first time
M&L Industries found a laser cutting machine for the right price and at the right size. After a year of laser cutting and bringing in new business, it looks like the right choice.
|
View this Issue |
What's involved in abrasive waterjet maintenance?
For the end user of an abrasive waterjet, sometimes the maintenance involved with the new machine is underestimated. The downtime due to maintenance can result in decreased return on investment. To remain profitable, an owner must factor in costs...
|
View this Issue |
Green cutting with waterjets
Abrasive waterjets are powerful cutting tools. As is the case with all industrial machinery, waterjet machines have certain inherent hazards that go beyond the obvious cuts. Knowledge of these hazards and proper protective measures are necessary...
|
|
View this Issue |
Safety in jet cutting
Abrasive waterjets are powerful cutting tools. As is the case with all industrial machinery, waterjet machines have certain inherent hazards that go beyond the obvious cuts. Knowledge of these hazards and proper protective measures are necessary...
|
|
View this Issue |
Maximizing waterjet cutting profit
Achieving maximum profitability from your waterjet system requires knowing which operating methods are best-suited to your application. This article explores the costs associated with waterjet cutting and shows a method for maximizing the profit...
|
View this Issue |
Waterjet makes it into the mainstream
Advancements in the control and equipment components, each working in concert, have pushed the technology from a relative novelty to the mainstream.
|
View this Issue |
Pumping up the waterjet power
Want to maximize your waterjet's performance? Among the options for doing so are adding horsepower to the pump, by either running at higher pressure, or using a larger or two nozzles. This article discusses the options and provides guidelines to...
|
View this Issue |
Festivus poles for the rest of us souls
The Wagner Cos. has staked out its position as the world's foremost producer of Festivus poles. Yes, it's the plain pole that Frank Costanza put up in his living room as a rebuke of Christmas' commercialism in a Seinfeld episode in 1997.
|
|
View this Issue |
Waterjet purchase becomes watershed moment
Allright Tool Co. in Birmingham, Ala., increased its sales revenue by 79 percent only two years after buying its two waterjet cutting tables. The technology allowed the company to offer cutting services unmatched in the region and reduced its...
|
View this Issue |
Increasing waterjet cutting profitability
Last year an estimated 1,500 waterjets were sold worldwide, almost 800 of those in North America. As more waterjets are purchased, veteran and new waterjet owners must look for ways to increase profitability and remain competitive.
|
View this Issue |
Fabrication in transition
Arcadia, Albany, N.Y., transitions from a metal supplier to a waterjet cutting shop to a laser cutting shop to a metal bender. Future plans call for the shop to evolve into a full-scale contract manufacturer.
|
|
View this Issue |
Jet cutting accessories
The right accessories can help you make the most of your waterjet cutting system and prolong system life. Among the accessories discussed in this article are garnet feeders, removers, and recyclers; abrasive agitators; taper management tools;...
|
|
View this Issue |
Recent developments in abrasive jet software
Software is an integral part of a waterjet cutting system. Advances in controller software compensate for common jet cutting errors, such as lag, striations, taper, and kerf; offer improvements in cutting functions; and reduce the time it takes to...
|
View this Issue |
Waterjet accelerates pace, provides speed secret
Joe Gibbs Racing sports three Nextel Cup teams, winning three Cup championships in a seven-year period. Its drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and J.J. Yeley are well-known race stars. Preparing the cars for each week's race is literally a race...
|
|
View this Issue |
Economic considerations when purchasing a jet cutting machine
Thinking about purchasing a jet cutting system? Many factors should be considered before deciding which system to buy. This article discusses fixed and operating costs and productivity and provides the framework for making an intelligent buying...
|
View this Issue |
Achieve peak waterjet performance by optimizing components
A waterjet systems comprises an ultra-high-pressure pump, CNC machine, and one or more cutting heads. How these components are set up and optimized determines the waterjet system's performance.
|
View this Issue |
Machine components you can fabricate with an abrasive jet
Many machine components formerly made with conventional machining techniques now can be made easily and cost-effectively with abrasive waterjet cutting. This article discusses some of these components. It also gives examples of abrasive...
|
View this Issue |
Job diversity through a waterjet
Pacific Metal Cutting of Placentia, Calif., wasn't struggling when it bought its first waterjet in May 2004. After two years of waterjet ownership and the addition of a second table, the metal cutter is struggling to keep up with new business.
|
|
View this Issue |
What you need to know about high-pressure equipment
High-pressure abrasive and waterjet cutting systems have unique properties that must be understood to maximize performance and ensure safety. This article discusses the principles of water compressibility and pressurization, metal fatigue,...
|
View this Issue |
Bernie and the jet
Jay Leno's car collection, housed at the Big Dog Garage in Burbank, Calif., is not meant to collect dust. These cars are to be driven. Bernard Juchli is in charge of that, and now he has a waterjet to help him fabricate hard-to-find or...
|
|
View this Issue |
American Fabricator
How do you get to Hollywood? Ride a motorcycle when you're 3 years old, start welding at 8, and rebuild a car engine at 9—if you want to be the lead fabricator on American Chopper, that is, one of the most popular metal...
|
|
View this Issue |
Fixturing for abrasive jet machining
Clamping the workpiece against sideways motion and weighting it against vertical motion will prevent part loss and improve part quality in waterjet machining. This article offers practical fixturing suggestions for both cutting from flat sheet...
|
View this Issue |
Trailblazing with waterjet
For Johnson Enterprises of New Brunswick, Canada, the waterjet cutting system with shuttle table has opened the door to business opportunities more diverse than the materials it can process.
|
View this Issue |
Rising to great heights in Great Falls
When Waterjet Extreme Technologies (WET), Great Falls, Mont., was asked to bid on a large and lofty fabrication project as part of the Great Falls International Airport redesign, co-owners John Kramarich and Rip Rippetoe viewed the inherent...
|
View this Issue |
Abrasive Jet Mechanics
Figure 1 Abrasive jet users need in-depth knowledge of nozzle mechanics, either for practical reasons, or simply to have the satisfaction of knowing what their machines really are doing. Two types of information fabricators need are...
|
View this Issue |
Where abrasive waterjets shine
Abrasive waterjet's cold-cutting and omni-directional capabilities make it especially well-suited to cutting unusual shapes out of exotic and heat-sensitive materials. Also, because abrasive waterjet is a cold-cutting process, it does not create...
|
View this Issue |
Designing for abrasive waterjet fabrication
Thinking ahead during the design stage of a fabrication always saves manufacturing costs later. This is also true for the parts cut with a precision waterjet. Part production time, assembly time, fixturing, and weld preparation time all can be...
|
View this Issue |
Improving waterjet cutting precision by eliminating taper
The balance between waterjet cutting production rate and part precision always has been difficult to achieve because of the jet's complex behavior. Because its shape at any point along the tool path is a result of multiple independent variables...
|
View this Issue |
Pumps for abrasive jet cutting
This is the last of four articles intended to help a prospective buyer evaluate the wide range of abrasive jet machinery on the market. The first article covers the abrasive jet process itself in comparison with other cutting processes to help...
|
View this Issue |
Advancements in waterjet technology
When Jack Budd, president of Precision Waterjet, Orange, Calif., purchased his first waterjet system seven years ago, he expected most of the company's work to come from the aerospace industry, which was robust at the time. When business from that...
|
