【Waterjet Processing】Waterjet Cutter Creates High-Precision Titanium Parts
Form Follows Function
WAZER can create high-precision parts that become functional components. What factors are involved in producing accurate parts? How can WAZER be pushed to its limits for high-precision cutting? By understanding the waterjet cutting process, precise parts can be consistently achieved. The example in this article is the famous Clark Y airfoil.
WAZER can create high-precision parts that become functional components. What factors are involved in producing accurate parts? How can WAZER be pushed to its limits for high-precision cutting? By understanding the waterjet cutting process, precise parts can be consistently achieved. The example in this article is the famous Clark Y airfoil.
The shape and size of the rib vary depending on the intended use, but the common factor is always the precision of the rib. As these parts are subjected to significant forces and need to be as light as possible, correctly manufacturing features to prevent assembly failure is crucial.
Precision Cutting
Key factors in waterjet cutting: the mixture of water and abrasive is a constant for physically cutting parts, but WAZER's cutting method can vary depending on the material, thickness, and selected cutting speed. All these factors always stem from one simple question: what material is being used? Titanium was chosen this time due to its lightweight properties and difficulty in processing.
Precision Cutting
Key factors in waterjet cutting: the mixture of water and abrasive is a constant for physically cutting parts, but WAZER's cutting method can vary depending on the material, thickness, and selected cutting speed. All these factors always stem from one simple question: what material is being used? Titanium was chosen this time due to its lightweight properties and difficulty in processing.
The first step is to upload the DXF file into the WAM software, position it on the cutting bed, and select the titanium thickness to be cut. WAM can use preset cutting parameters from its material database, such as cutting speed, tab size, and pierce time, as shown below.
Detailed Settings for Cutting Path
After placing the part and selecting the material, the next step is to choose the most suitable cutting path for the part. There are three options: Outer, Centerline, and Inner. Each option affects the final dimension of the part. Outer cutting offsets the jet stream (kerf) to one side of the white design line, which will provide the most precise cut profile for the design dimensions.
The other two options, Centerline and Inner, move the jet stream to the center and inside of the design's white line, respectively. This will result in a cut part smaller than the designed dimensions, meaning the best choice for accuracy is the outer cutting path.
The next variable to consider is the offset. The offset refers to the width of the kerf, which is the width of the nozzle. WAM automatically sets this to 0.019 inches, which is the size of the nozzle. Prolonged use of WAZER can cause the nozzle opening to widen, so after actually measuring the width on WAZER, it was found that the nozzle still had its original offset size.
The final option in WAM that helps achieve higher accuracy is cut quality. The three options range from coarse to fine cut quality. Selecting a coarse cut is faster but results in lower quality, while a fine cut is slower but produces higher quality. For this project, high accuracy is the goal, so the fine setting was chosen.
The next variable to consider is the offset. The offset refers to the width of the kerf, which is the width of the nozzle. WAM automatically sets this to 0.019 inches, which is the size of the nozzle. Prolonged use of WAZER can cause the nozzle opening to widen, so after actually measuring the width on WAZER, it was found that the nozzle still had its original offset size.
The final option in WAM that helps achieve higher accuracy is cut quality. The three options range from coarse to fine cut quality. Selecting a coarse cut is faster but results in lower quality, while a fine cut is slower but produces higher quality. For this project, high accuracy is the goal, so the fine setting was chosen.
Creating the Part
After all settings are configured and the WAZER cutting head is moved to the appropriate position, it can traverse the entire sheet of material. Once the cutting is complete, several points on the part were measured, and the measured results were compared with the design dimensions. Waterjet cutting titanium yielded surprisingly good results without the need for expensive tools or highly skilled technicians.
After all settings are configured and the WAZER cutting head is moved to the appropriate position, it can traverse the entire sheet of material. Once the cutting is complete, several points on the part were measured, and the measured results were compared with the design dimensions. Waterjet cutting titanium yielded surprisingly good results without the need for expensive tools or highly skilled technicians.
Additionally, an extra post-processing step was performed using a dimple die to create the classic curved circular cutouts found on many aircraft components. This helps strengthen the rigidity of the part without adding weight. The results of this project were quite good, and it is believed that this process has many real-world use cases.
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