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Joint
Development Project:
DIAJET Limited, Gee Graphite Limited, Techserv Engineering Services Limited
Product:
A DIAJET based Abrasive Water Jetting (AWJ) profiling system for commercial
job-shop operation, including innovative methods of automatically removing,
separating and re-cycling abrasive in the cutting tank.
Problem:
Abrasive water jet cutting systems using the entrainment principle
are established in the machine tool industry. Suspension AWJ systems have
been developed as portable systems for niche markets.
Practical application of AWJ in manufacturing is often limited by the
need to remove and dispose of the waste products - the abrasive, water
and kerf material. This is often a restricting factor. A practicable and
reliable technique of separating and re-cycling the used materials from
the cutting tank has not yet been industrially demonstrated.
Objectives
- Produce a 690 bar,
16 l/min, multiple-head DIAJET based AWJ system
- Integrate with
3x1.5m X-Y precision cutting table
- Establish full
automated PC control (Burny 10, Windows NT based PC controller)
- Develop abrasive
re-cycling and waste disposal method using hydro-cyclone technology
- Support a commercial
reference site
- Deliver the complete
system at a target cost of £100,000
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Approach
Three companies, Techserv Engineering (machine table manufacturers),
Gee Graphite (end users of water jet technology), and DIAJET Limited,
together identified the need for a more efficient and versatile waterjet
cutting machine leading to the achievement of a DTI 'SMART' award to develop
the product.
Outcome
A
complete suspension abrasive water jetting system machine tool has been
designed, built and installed and currently being operated in an SME job-shop
environment.
- A complete AWJ
cutting machine package at a cost that is not prohibitive for most
job-shop and SME companies
- Ability to cut
almost all materials from titanium, high alloy steels and reflective
materials to ceramic stone, glass, composites and laminates.
- High precision
cutting with a high quality finish with no heat affected zone
- Smaller jet sizes
- A stand-alone
abrasive removal and separation system
- DIAJET technology
provides an efficient mixing process with lower operating pressures
For more
details, or to discuss your case, please contact
us.
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