/ins The Technology behind a five-year performance warranty.

Waterjet technology is unique cutting method using natural elements like water, sand and pressure. No heat or chemical substances are being added and no poisonous fumes are created. Natural elements, yes, but these forces must be controlled and is a tough environment for man-made machines. How to build a long-life, high performance waterjet machine starts with some basic design principles. We went into the production hall of world leading waterjet manufacturer Water Jet Sweden to check behind the curtains building the entry level T-model machine.

Heavy-duty steel frame.

To cut heavy materials with a more than 0.1 mm accuracy consistently year after year demands a heavy duty machine design that can manage weight and withstand vibrations over time. The weight of the steel frame ensures machine stability. If you select wrong material or too weak sections on the frame design it can cost a lot in performance. You can easily see the difference if you lift off the cover panels of a waterjet cutting machine.  The massive steel beams of the T-model are designed to consistently withstand vibrations and delicately operate heavy cutting tools and accessories for many years.

Complete protection of Moving Parts

Water jet cutting is environmentally friendly cutting method, but it is a tough environment for high tech machines. Many parts are sensitive to the wear of abrasive and water and easy maintenance is key to performance and lifetime.  On the T-model the motion systems are enclosed with full covered bellow protection. This keeps mechanical and electrical parts clean from the abrasive and water while processing and the machine is very easy to clean. Protection of sensitive parts and easy cleaning will secure machine performance, simplify maintenance and significantly prolong machine lifetime.

Powerful, waterjet optimized, motion system

The motion system of a water jet cutting table must withstand torsion powers, often several hundred kilograms, and at the same time have a smooth movement to keep accuracy and tolerances at tenths of a millimeter. The ballscrew for the X and Y axis is one example for how the T-model motion system is specially designed for water jet cutting. The powerful ballscrew of 32 mm in diameter makes the T-model waterjet machine able manage higher rotation speed. This minimize the risk of wobbling and torsion and secure uptime and lifetime performance.

Generally, the ballscrew of a Water Jet Sweden machines has quite a low pitch (20 mm/turn). This will give a smooth movement with high resolution and accuracy when cutting. The pitch affect maximum speed, but a maximum cutting speed of 10 000 mm/min (X and Y axis) is more than enough for water jet cutting.  Maximum travel speed (15 000 mm/min I Y and 15 000 mm/min in X) is a more academic figure since travel time normally is a very small part of total processing time.

Choice of motion system guide rails are also important. You must have a stable and straight X and Y axis movement to get consistent cutting quality. Otherwise it is almost impossible to keep accuracy and tolerance measures while cutting. But that’s what a wide and stable guide rail gives you.  For small extra cost the wide guide rails improve machine performance and prolong machine lifetime. The T-model has two wide guide rails on the Y-axis where the main is 90 mm and support 35 mm. The X-axis beam has a stable 70 mm guide rail to make the Z-unit travel steadily. Our broad guide rails resist torsion, unnecessary tension and gives a consistent cutting quality, hour after hour, year after year.

These are a few examples of mechanical design that enables the five-year performance warranty. Machines built by waterjet specialist in Ronneby, Sweden, devoted to performance. P

Pictures © Water Jet Sweden AB

Water_Jet_Sweden_T-model_design_principles (1)-(8)

1.    A production hall of Water Jet Sweding in Ronneby building a new batch of T-model entry level waterjet cutting machines.

2.    Heavy duty steel frame. The weight of the steel frame ensures machine stability.

3.    The massive steel beams of the T-model are designed to consistently withstand vibrations and delicately operate heavy cutting tools

4.    On the T-model the motion systems are enclosed with full covered bellow protection.

5.    Preparing complete protection of moving parts on the X-beam

6.    Powerful, waterjet optimized, motion system

7.    The powerful ballscrew makes the T-model waterjet machine able manage higher rotation speed.

8.    The X-axis beam has a stable 70 mm guide rail to make the Z-unit travel steadily

About Water Jet Sweden AB

A successful pursuit of measurable customer benefits

Back in 1993, we produced our Machines in a private garage. Today we serve customers in more than 40 countries. Our native town of Ronneby in southern Sweden has become a R & D cluster of global renown, where the scientific establishment, the water jet industry and the business community join efforts to develop the water jet cutting technology of tomorrow.

Our ultimate end product is customer value, and the benefits our machines and service can offer are highly measurable in terms of time, money, product quality and sustainability.

For more information, please contact:

Water Jet Sweden AB
Lennart Svensson, MD or Klas Wallström, CMO
Teknikvägen 4
S-372 38 Ronneby Sweden
Tel: +46 457 455 440
E-mail: sales@waterjet.se
http://waterjetsweden.com