For training on this machine please ask any ULI during open hours
General Info:
- Water mixes with garnet (sand like grit material) at a high pressure to cut into material
- Machine was originally bought with a grant from the 2110 class and is also extensively used with the ME machine shop
- Mixture has a cutting width of .030”
- Turn the pump on only as soon as you begin cutting- Off as soon as you finish.
- Be very careful of colliding anything with the cutting nozzle. This costs us a couple hundred dollars + labor to fix.
- Garnet is expensive. The machine is free to use unless someone needs to cut an excessive amount of material (in use for hours). In this case, refer them to Clint- we might need to charge them for a portion of that use.
- If the water will not go down, remove water from the tank by pushing the drain in the back lower.
Limits:
- Accuracy up to .030”
- Machining limits of 29”x26”
- Can cut up to 8” of steel (though that would take a LOOOOONG time)
Safety:
- Double check everything – as you are working with a $100,000+ machine it is worth making sure you are doing everything right the first time
- Never put any part of your body close to the nozzle while the machine is running. (doh)
- Always be ready to pause the machine at any time while it is cutting. You should never leave the machine unattended while running a job
- Between cuts during the rapid movements utilize the pause command to remove potentially collision causing scrap parts
Cutting Materials:
- Aluminum, steel, copper – all of these the waterjet can cut very easily
- When cutting brittle materials make sure to utilize the “low cutting pressure” ability. This goes for ceramics, wood, stone, and other materials.
- Acrylic frequently fractures at the pierce point. When machining acrylic with the waterjet, drill pilot holes at the pierce point if you are cutting acrylic.
Software:
- To ready a job for the Water Jet a DXF of the part you wish to cut must be prepared. This can be done in your CAD program of choice.
- The DXF must then be loaded into OMAX Layout, a tool-pathing program available in the studio.
- Once the tool-pathing is done the file must be loaded into OMAX Make. In OMAX Make, the machine must be homed and the material properties must be filled in. Once that is completed the cut job can be started.
