Five-axis water jet

The Psy-Winder can also be programmed to cut any 3D part between 0-90°. This innovation will appeal particularly to manufacturing or sub-contract companies supplying directly or indirectly into the aerospace, oil, gas and power generation sectors, as well as companies looking to offer a differentiated waterjet cutting service to the market, says Wightman Stewart. The major benefit of 5 axis cutting is the ability to cut a profile from a flat or angled piece of material at a pre-defined angle, anything between 0-90°. In addition, the cutting head can be programmed to cut a contoured profile with the head remaining 90° to the material profile/surface. This makes the Psy -winder ideal for bevel cutting or providing an angle for weld preparation The cutting of contoured surfaces, which are impossible with conventional three axis cutting, can also be carried out. Taper compensation of the cutting head results in increased geometric accuracy at faster cutting speeds. Up to 12,700 mm /min are achievable on WARDJet Z-Series machines and up to 63, 500 mm/min on the pure water J-Series. The standard vertical travel on the Z-Series Z-axis is 300 mm or an optional 600 mm. Custom vertical travel limits can be requested. The Psy-Winder is considered a fixed mechanical tool tip cutter. This means that the motion of the additional rotary axes does not affect the spatial position of the cutting point. This approach is claimed superior to alternative kinematically modelled mechanisms, which must offset X, Y, and Z positions based on the angles of the 4th and 5th axes. This can accumulate additional error if the positions of the rotary axes are not perfect. Dedicated software makes it fast and easy to program bevels on parts or to allow for taper compensation - virtually eliminating the taper commonly found on parts cut by a waterjet. The optional height sensor feature reduces the potential for broken nozzles, by automatically adjusting the height of the cutting head to maintain a fixed distance between the nozzle and the material. The crash sensor stops the motion of the machine if there is anything in the path of the cutting head that has the potential to break a nozzle or cause damage. Up to nine Psy-Winder five-axis cutting heads can be installed on one cross beam with single 2D and 3D capabilities. Post-processors are available for both 2D and 3D CAM software. The Psy-winder can be specified as part of a new WARDJet machine or alternatively can be fitted to an existing WARDJet machine.