Water Jet Cutter
One of the most versatile manufacturing technologies today, our abrasive waterjet cutting machine allows fast and extremely accurate cutting of metals, composites, glass, ceramics and more.
What is Water Jet Cutting?
Water Jet Cutting involves using a jet of water under very high pressure (50,000 psi) through an ultra-fine nozzle to cut through virtually any material. Abrasives are added to the water to increase the power of the jet of water allowing it to cut through 100mm steel plate. The cutting is controlled by sophisticated software that can guarantee cutting to an accuracy of 0.1 of a millimetre. The machine will cut as accurately as it can be drawn. This means sophisticated and complex parts drawn using CAD software can be produced with ease. The level of accuracy can also be controlled so that applications that don’t need a very high level of finish can be done at a faster speed and lower cost.
What materials/sizes can be cut?
The Water Jet machine can cut through all metal plates stocked by Steel Industries, being Carbon/Mild Steel plate (1.5mm – 90mm), stainless steel plate (0.55mm – 16mm) and Aluminium Plate (0.6mmm – 12mm). In addition to metals other materials such as rubber (for gaskets etc), wood, stone (kitchen bench tops etc) and glass can also be cut.
The machine can take plates up to 1500mm x 3000mm in size. Any shape that fits within this size can be cut.
What are the benefits?
- Accuracy - Material can be cut accurately to intricate designs and shapes.
- Speed - Thinner softer materials can be cut extremely quickly.
- No Heat - Unlike traditional flame, plasma or laser cutting processes, there is virtually no heat in the water jet cutting process. This preserves the integrity and also avoids any warping and distortion of the material being cut.
- Finish - The Water Jet Produces a smooth finish meaning no further machining or grinding is required.
- Environment - No hazardous waste, heat or gases are produced, substantially reducing any impact on the environment.
What do I need?
- Design - CAD files can be accepted directly into the machine software. Drawings can be scanned to PDF files which can be converted into drawing files. CAD files can be created from sketched details by Steel Industries.
- Materials - Materials to be cut can be supplied by Steel Industries. Specialist and other materials can be provided by the customer.
How much does it cost?
The cost of cutting using the Water Jet machine is directly related to the time the machine takes to perform the cut. The time taken depends on the material being cut and the finish required. These parameters are entered into the machine and the machine will then determine the speed it needs to travel at and therefore the time required.
A quotation can be provided once the material and design has been specified. Setup costs will vary depending on complexity and what has been provided by the customer.
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