Subcontractor adds on 6-axis waterjet profiler

A six-axis robotic waterjet cutting installation, possibly the only one in the UK, is being used for cutting/profiling of thin plastics, composites and carbon fibre materials.

One of the UK West Midlands' most 'go ahead' contract cutting companies is using waterjet cutting technology to open up new business opportunities.

Aquajet Profiles has invested heavily in waterjet cutting equipment from KMT Waterjet Systems in the establishment of a six-axis robotic waterjet cutting installation, thought to be the only one of its kind in the U.K.

As a contract cutter, Aquajet Profiles has an outstanding pedigree in two dimensional waterjet cutting.

Using this process, the company has traditionally been able to use abrasive cutting for steel, plate marble, stone and other 'hard' materials.

However, they saw the opportunity to diversify into the waterjet cutting of thinner materials such as thin plastics, composites and carbon fibre.

A number of local companies had already approached them to undertake similar work and so the decision was made to invest in a six-axis waterjet cutting robot and build a dedicated area (cutting cell) within its factory to house it.

It was at this time that KMT Waterjet Systems was approached in order to assist in optimising the investment by providing all the necessary ancillary waterjet equipment.

"The advice and assistance in the installation provided by KMT Waterjet Systems in the UK was outstanding," said Peter McNiece, managing director.

The system is able to carry out both pure and abrasive waterjet cutting and is already attracting new customers from new businesses areas, as well as enabling existing customers to provide the company with different types of material to cut.

Typical of the new work undertaken is the cutting of Land Rover doorsills.

KMT Waterjet Systems recommended its AMS Abrasive Management System for the abrasive work.

It provides the highest levels of accuracy, reliability and economy in abrasive flow.

It automates abrasive metering and ensures minimal operator intervention.

Central to the system is the Feedline III Abrasive Metering system that provides an accurate, fully adjustable flow rate to the cutting head mixing chamber.

Different flow rates to suit varying applications can be either stored in the material database of the control system or electronically adjusted.

The Autoline Abrasive Cutting Head provides fast and consistent cutting and its consistently sharp jet of water and abrasive also gives a high degree of repeatability, reduces downtime and cost.

The Abraline III Abrasive Transfer System monitors availability and guarantees sufficient quantities of sand throughout the entire cutting process, protecting the user from potentially high unnecessary costs.

Especially suited to machines running on a multi-shift basis, Abraline III has proven the ideal partner for the robot.

So pleased have Aquajet Profiles been with their KMT investment, they have now ordered a Streamline 50HP pump which is to be installed shortly to provide additional power to the robot cutting cell.

"We specified this pump because of its Soft Start feature which for a small company is important as it helps to keep electricity consumption low when the waterjet machine starts up," says Des Willis, company Chairman.

Soft Start provides users with up to 20% energy savings in power consumption when the pump is first switched on, for a 37kW pump only 63A start up current is required compared with 80A without Soft Start.

For smaller companies, the 20% reduction can be critical if total available amperage within their premises is limited to around 100A.

Furthermore, with peak usage as the basis of electrical bills, the limit on power consumption during pump start up will ensure further savings.

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