Abrasive Cutting Machine Views

Tools & Home Improvement

A water jet cutter, also known as a waterjet,[1] is a tool capable of slicing into metal or other materials using a jet of water at high velocity and pressure, or a mixture of water and an abrasive substance. The process is essentially the same as water erosion found in nature but greatly accelerated and concentrated. It is often used during fabrication or manufacture of parts for machinery and other devices. It is the preferred method when the materials being cut are sensitive to the high temperatures generated by other methods. It has found applications in a diverse number of industries from mining to aerospace where it is used for operations such as cutting, shaping, carving, and reaming.

With recent advances in control and motion technology, 5-axis water jet cutting (abrasive and pure) has become a reality. Where the normal axes on a water jet are named X (back/forth), Y(left/right) and Z (up/down), a 5-axis system will typically add an A axis (angle from perpendicular) and C axes (rotation around the Z-axis). Depending on the cutting head, the maximum cutting angle for the A axis can be anywhere from 55, 60, or in some cases even 90 degrees from vertical. As such, 5-axis cutting opens up a wide range of applications that can be machined on a water jet cutting machine.[10]

Abrasive cutting machines use porous blades to grind through material rather than cutting a path through the material like other blades. Abrasive cutting machines are used in shops where large amounts of material need to be cut. Most often this type of machine is used when cutting hard or very dense materials such as steel. These machines have a variety of advantages that make them favored in manufacturing shops and industry.

The cutting surface of an abrasive cutting machine is composed of aluminum oxide or silicon carbide particles. These particles are bonded together in rubber or resin. Some blades use a combination of both rubber and resin to bond the particles together. As the blade cuts the material the particles are worn off and new particles are exposed with fresh cutting edge. This allows the blade to constantly present a fresh cutting edge. The wear of the blade is greatly affected by the hardness of the material that is being cut. The harder the material the more wear there will be on the blade.