Abrasive waterjet cutting has become a main stream machining technology in today’s manufacturing world. This paper will serve as an overall review of the state-of-the-art of this technology applied to precision machining. Topics will cover the cutting process, hardware (pumps and XY tables), and software, as well as the latest tilting head technology for taper removal.
A tilting head angles an abrasive waterjet’s nozzle as it moves along the cutting path, resulting in a taper-free cut. This paper offers insight into the product development process of this innovative concept — a mechanism that allows the nozzle to tilt about the jet entry point with minimal compensation motions in the X, Y and Z direction. Tilting and compensation motions are...
First introduced in the last decade, the concept of "compute first, move later" for motion control optimized the abrasive waterjet cutting process. Using a cutting model that varied cutting speed around corners and along arcs provided a greater degree of accuracy. Recent innovations in corner-cutting strategy allow the cutting of external corners without sacrificing speed or surface...