Precision Cutting
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The key to precision cutting is a thorough understanding of the
physics of the abrasive waterjet process and how all of the process
parameters and kinematics of the cutting process relate to one
another. Through many years of research, the staff at Ormond has
developed this understanding which has resulted in high precision
cutting capabilities.
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Intricate precision cutting can be accomplished using the abrasive
waterjet where the entire cut surface can have tolerances as low as
0.001 inch. The image to the left shows an aerospace part that
required a profile tolerance of +/-0.001 inch. This part was
machined from 0.75 inch thick stainless steel and the internal
webs were 0.012 inch wide.
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A custom waterjet cutting process was developed to make
this part at 1/3 the cost of traditional wire EDM process.
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The same precision cutting technology that Ormond engineers
developed was applied to machining intricate hole patterns.
The image to the right shows a 0.625 inch thick Inconel 625
part with tri-lobed shaped holes machined with a +/- 0.002
profile tolerance. The tight tolerance was to allow for a
net fit of ground tubes to be placed inside the holes for a
heat exchanger application.
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The close tolerance machining process can be applied to 5-axis
machining applications. An engine manufacturer approached our
engineers about applying the waterjet machining process for cutting
fir-tree slots in compressor disks. They were looking for an
alternative machining process to improve the 7 step broaching
operations that they were currently using. They had a goal of
using the waterjet process to replace 2 of the 7 broaching
operations. Our engineers looked at their broaching process
and presented an alternative that eliminated 4 and 5 of the
broaching steps.
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The image to the left shows a photograph of a set of fir-tree
slots cut at 70 degree angle from the surface in 1.0 inch thick
Inconel. The slots without the "tree branches" would reduce the
number broaching steps by 4, and the slots with the "tree branches"
would reduce the number of broaching steps by 5, thus leaving only 2
finishing broaching steps to remove 0.003 inch of material.
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5-Axis Waterjet Machining
In addition to routine two-dimensional X-Y cutting operations,
the abrasive waterjet can be used to create complex three-dimensional
parts. One engine manufacturer asked our engineers if the abrasive
waterjet cutting process can be used to rough machine a bladed disk.
A quick and dirty test sample was produced based on a description given
over the telephone.
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The image to the right shows and 8.0 inch diameter bladed disk
that was produced in 1.0 inch thick aluminum. This process is
currently being evaluated as a low cost roughing process where
the entire surface profile tolerances must be less than 0.015 inch.
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The abrasive waterjet can be used to cut very thin slots in
advanced materials. The image to the left shows a set of 0.015
inch wide slots in 3/8 inch thick Titanium Aluminide.
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The abrasive waterjet cutting process can be used to cut extremely
fragile components with intricate details. The image to the right
shows a 0.050 inch thick piece of glass where the final perimeter
width was 0.098 inches wide.
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