【Waterjet Machining】Waterjet Cutter Creates High-Precision Parts from Titanium
Form Follows Function
WAZER can create highly accurate parts and functional components. What factors are involved in producing precise parts? How can high-precision cutting be achieved with WAZER pushed to its limits? By truly understanding the waterjet cutting process, precise parts can be consistently realized. The example in this article is the famous Clark Y airfoil.
WAZER can create highly accurate parts and functional components. What factors are involved in producing precise parts? How can high-precision cutting be achieved with WAZER pushed to its limits? By truly understanding the waterjet cutting process, precise parts can be consistently realized. The example in this article is the famous Clark Y airfoil.
The shape and size of a wing rib vary depending on its intended use, but a common factor is always its precision. Since these parts are subjected to significant forces and need to be as light as possible, manufacturing features correctly to prevent component failure is crucial.
Precise Cutting
A critical factor in waterjet cutting is the constant physical cutting of parts using a mixture of water and abrasive. However, WAZER's cutting method can vary depending on the material, thickness, and chosen cutting speed. All these factors always stem from a simple question: What material is being used? This time, titanium was chosen due to its light weight and processing difficulty.
Precise Cutting
A critical factor in waterjet cutting is the constant physical cutting of parts using a mixture of water and abrasive. However, WAZER's cutting method can vary depending on the material, thickness, and chosen cutting speed. All these factors always stem from a simple question: What material is being used? This time, titanium was chosen due to its light weight and processing difficulty.
The first step is to upload the DXF file into the WAM software, position it on the cutting bed, and select the thickness of the titanium to be cut. WAM can use preset cutting parameters for materials from its database, such as cutting speed, tag size, and piercing 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: Outside, Centerline, and Inside. Each option affects the final dimensions of the part. An outside cut will offset the waterjet 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 inside, move the jet stream to the center and inside of the design's white line. This will result in a cut part that is smaller than the designed dimensions, meaning that the best option for precision is an outside cut 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 it to 0.019 inches, which is the size of the nozzle. Prolonged use of WAZER can cause the nozzle opening to widen, so the width was actually measured on the WAZER, and the nozzle was found to still be at its original offset size.
The last option in WAM that helps achieve higher precision is cutting quality. The three options range from rough to fine cutting quality. Choosing a rough cut will be faster but of lower quality, while a fine cut will cut slower but result in higher quality. The goal this time is high precision, 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 it to 0.019 inches, which is the size of the nozzle. Prolonged use of WAZER can cause the nozzle opening to widen, so the width was actually measured on the WAZER, and the nozzle was found to still be at its original offset size.
The last option in WAM that helps achieve higher precision is cutting quality. The three options range from rough to fine cutting quality. Choosing a rough cut will be faster but of lower quality, while a fine cut will cut slower but result in higher quality. The goal this time is high precision, so the fine setting was chosen.
Creating the Part
After setting everything up and moving the WAZER cutting head to the appropriate position, it can now span the entire material sheet. After the cutting was complete, several points on the part were measured, and the results were compared to the design dimensions. Waterjet cutting titanium yielded surprisingly good results without the need for expensive tools or highly skilled technicians.
After setting everything up and moving the WAZER cutting head to the appropriate position, it can now span the entire material sheet. After the cutting was complete, several points on the part were measured, and the results were compared to 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 to strengthen the rigidity of the part without adding weight. The results of this project were quite good, and it is believed that this process will have many real-world use cases.
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