Water Jet CNC Machining

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Water Jet CNC Machining

• Dr. Scott K. Thomas
• Department Mechanical Materials Engineering
• Wright State University

2
Outline

• Water jet machining defined
• Applications
• Competing technologies
• Pros and cons

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Water Jet Machining

• High pressure water stream (40,000 psi)
• Abrasive (garnet)
• Nozzle
• Cutting tool

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High pressure water in
Abrasive in
Nozzle assembly
Water jet
Flat plate stock
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Applications

• Cut blanks or finished parts
• Rapid prototyping
• Short runs of specialized parts

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Competing Technologies

• Electro-discharge machining (Wire EDM)
• Laser cutters

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Pros and Cons

• Pros
• No work hardening of pieces
• Faster than EDM or Laser
• Initial cost is less
• Cons
• Accuracy is poor (0.003 inch)
• Nozzle life is short (40 hours)