|
Process
The abrasive water jet cuts by directing a stream of water
carrying a Garnet abrasive through a diamond nozzle orifice
at 55,000 psi pressure. The water jet literally erodes the
material as it cuts. Titanium cuts easily, although as might
be expected harder grades like 5, 9, and 23 cut more slowly
than unalloyed grades.
| Benefits
of Process |
 |
Eliminates
thermal and mechanical effects of oxygen-flame, plasma,
abrasive, or mechanical cutting methods. |
|
Minimize
or eliminate finishing work. |
|
Water
jet cuts by erosion, minimizing induced mechanical stress,
and resultant warping of parts (although release of
internal stresses can cause some movement). |
|
Produce
parts more efficiently. |
|
Scrap
value is higher because there is no thermal contamination.
|
|
No
starting hole is required, so blind holes are easily
cut. |
| Applications |
|
Any
two dimensional shape cutting. |
|
Thickness
from .020" to 8". |
|
Titanium,
Zirconium, Tantalum, and special high performance alloys
of any hardness. |
| Size
and Thickness |
|
Titanium
Fabrication's water jet cutting bed is 100" x 244",
and easily accommodates full size standard 96" x 240"
Titanium plate.
The
water jet cutting equipment can handle sheet material
from .020" thickness and up and Titanium plate materials
up to 8" in thickness. It is recommended that you
to talk to our water jet cutting engineers for applications
under .062" and over 2".
|
| Edge
Quality |
|
Edge
quality is high, with no heat affected zone or surface
embrittlement typical of oxygen cutting processes.
The required edge quality can be specified depending
on whether the part is to be further machined or used
as-cut .
The
quality in terms of roughness of the finished edge
is controlled by the cutting speed, with the slowest
speed corresponding to the highest surface quality.
Doubling the thickness reduces cutting speed by about
45% to maintain the same edge finish. Depending on
thickness, there is a difference in cutting speed
of 3 to 6 times between Q1 and Q5 edge quality. This
uses more abrasive and increases cutting time and
cost.
|
| Economical |
|
No
heat affected zone. Minimal or no further material removal
required. High quality edge and accurate cutting eliminates
or minimizes secondary finishing operations. |
|
Minimal
kerf losses reduce material cost by reducing scrap loss. |
|
Complex
cuts and intricate nesting is achievable direct from
AutoCad computer data. Combined with computer controlled
cutting, this minimizes scrap losses |
|
Scrap
produced has a higher value because the edges are not
contained. |
| Equipment |
|
Titanium
Fabrication Corporations' water jet cutting system
is an ESAB Hydrocut with a precision high rail gantry.
|
|
|
| Tolerances |
|
Tolerance
are quoted for each project. However, standard tolerances
that can be expected are from .005" to .015".
|
| Kerf
Loss |
•
The cutting kerf ranges from .030" to .060", (depending
on the material thickness) between net
part finish lines.
|
| SigmaNEST
Software |
|
he
SigmaNEST software is specifically designed for two
dimensional shape cutting. The software automatically
determines the optimum layout and sets the cutting
speed for the edge quality required. T Edge quality
can vary on a single part if there are different requirements
for further processing.
|
| AutoCAD
input |
|
We
can interface directly with other CAD systems through
AutoCAD DXF, CADL, IGES, or HPGL file formats. We
can also convert existing NC programs (G-Code or ESSI).
We can work from your AutoCAD finished part drawings
to save time and money, and reduce the risk of error.
We are compatible with AutoCAD protocols up to Version
14.1.
|
| Services |
|
Preprocessed
Titanium, zirconium, and tantalum parts. |
|
Rapid
delivery from available inventory. |
|
Just
in time delivery saves you inventory cost. · |
|
Custom
cutting of your material in any metal or alloy. |
|
Sample
cut surfaces available. |
|
Prototype
pieces for evaluation |
| Cost |
|
Fax
or mail a drawing to us for a rapid response quotation. |
|
Discuss
your application with our water jet cutting experts.
|
| Materials |
|
We
stock a wide range of Titanium and Titanium alloy
sheet and plate that assures rapid delivery. While
most of our own work is for Titanium, zirconium, and
tantalum, we can cut special alloy and other hard
to work metals.
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