Our CNC controlled table has a 144" x 144" cutting envelope with full CAD/CAM facilities. Three axis cutting heads can cut 48" x 144" sheets simultaneously to tolerances up to +/- .005". Waterjet cutting has better material utilization than other cutting methods and there is no heat-affected zone created by the cutting head. A fine, high-pressure jet of up to 60,000 psi, it can cut thin or thick, hard or soft materials, including metals, paper, plastic, foam, glass, ceramics, and composites. Parts of simple, complex or intricate design, internally or externally, can be cut burr-free at moderate to high speed with minimum kerf and without heat distortion or heat-affected zones. Deionized and purified water, pressurized in an intensifier pump, enters a cutting head and is forced through a tiny orifice to form a coherent stream, which impinges on the work-piece. Because abrasive water is a much more potent cutting agent than pure water, abrasive can be introduced in a mixing chamber beneath the orifice and the stream exit through a nozzle. Thus the terms "waterjet" and "abrasive waterjet". Critical parameters, water pressure, orifice/nozzle-size combination, pump power capacity and abrasive feed rate have a pronounced effect on cutting speed, cut-edge quality and part cost. The cut edge typically tapers, with kerf smaller at the bottom, or exit side, of the jet than at the top, or entry side. The finish of the cut surface can range from rough to quite smooth, depending on cutting parameters. The greater the speed, the greater the taper and , in general, the greater the roughness. Some material provided by: RICHEL, INC. Waterjet Consultants 200 Northeast Avenue Tallmadge, Ohio, 44278

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