WARDJet Waterjet Blog

Video: RX-3014-5 Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Here is our newest R-3014 being packed and shipped off for installation. We've featured this large tank in past posts and as you can see it's not gotten any smaller. The 14' of envelope allows for the parking of two cutting heads while still allowing for the full 12' of travel for the third. Other features of this particular system is our 5-Axis Psy-Winder, along with 2 standard cutting heads, Live Remote Programming Camera, Android Pendant, and loads of safety features. Contact us today or visit our R-Series page for more information.

Visit the WARDJet Waterjet Blog to watch the video.
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J-86 Shipping to the UK

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:12:00 +0000

When shipping overseas your shipment is subject to harsh weather conditions and salt water which can damage and corrode metal parts. WARDJet goes to great lengths to protect your new machine by wrapping all overseas machines in a heavy-duty, heat shrink wrap. Shrink wrapping prevents any damage to the product on it's trip across the ocean. Everything from the waterjet to bags of abrasive gets wrapped in blue shrink wrap before leaving the shop floor, making sure your machine operates and looks just as good as it did on our production floor when it arrives.

This Waterjet is Larger Than 4 Standard Waterjets

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:47:00 +0000

If you didn't believe how big this tank was from our previous post this will give you a better idea of just how big it is. This R-3014 tank is large enough to fit 4 standard Z-2043 tanks inside of it. Some waterjet applications are so large that they require a cutting envelope of this size.

If you have large applications that would require a tank this size or even larger feel free to contact us!

Video: Metrology & Calibration

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:08:00 +0000

At WARDJet we recognize that the most important aspects of waterjet cutting are accuracy and repeatability. For this reason, we spare no expense when it comes to testing and tuning our machines. Below, we outline several of the tools we use to ensure that your WARDJet will cut as accurately as possible, for as long as possible.

Visit the WARDJet Waterjet Blog to watch the video.

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These tools, along with intelligent engineering, make WARDJet waterjets some of the most accurate cutting machines on the market today, and well into the future.

R-3014 Tank Welding is Quite a Feat

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:23:00 +0000

You never realize how large a 30' or 40' long waterjet tank is until you stand it up on end and crane your neck to see the top. Sights like these are commonplace here at WARDJet as every day we are making new design innovations allowing us to push the limits of what was thought possible with waterjet cutting. Above you can see several members of our fabrication department inspecting and preparing for final welding of an R-3014 tank. The WARDJet Production team works very hard at making sure our machines are produced efficiently while keeping to our very tight quality standards.

WARDJet holds itself accountable to production of the highest quality waterjets on schedule for our customers. Contact us today to discuss your needs.

Is Your Waterjet Large Enough to Cut a Car?

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:16:00 +0000

The WARDJet G-Series Waterjet is a large format system with 5'(1.5m) of Z travel standard, 13' or 20'(4m or 6m) cross beam and unlimited length. It is so large that you actually fit a car under the gantry. We weren't satisfied with just saying it is possible so we decided to show it is possible. We cut the roof off of this car and turned it into a convertible!

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Contact us today if you have large format applications that would benefit from use of the WARDJet G-Series waterjet. Unique to the G-Series is the ability to cut the full 5' depth vertically and the option to add 5 axis CNC machining with 5 hp, 10 hp, 15 hp or 20 hp. We can even modify and design a solution specifically for your requirements.

Annual Food Drive for 130 Families

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:00 +0000

WARDJet, in partnership with the Summit County Machine Shop Group, of which our own Kelly Eastman is the President, delivered care packages to over 130 families on Thursday Dec 22, 2011. This was the 8th year Kelly has organized this food drive of which it gets bigger every year. Over $5000 was raised which is the most donations collected to date. Turkeys, milk, bread, butter and canned goods were purchased with money from collected donations and assembled into care packages. WARDJet opens our facility to prepare and package the parcels, and helps to deliver them personally. Each package contains all you would need for a wonderful Christmas dinner and more.

So thank you Kelly and the Summit County Machine Shop Group for all you do to help bring some warmth to families in the area.

May you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and we look forward to a great 2012!

Video: Two ZX-2546's with Independently Driven Cutting Heads

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:36:00 +0000

These two ZX-2546s feature extended tanks and crossbeam design to enable triple head cutting while still allowing for single head cutting of a full 8’ x 12’ sheet. You will also find that each of the three heads is independently controlled by it’s own AC servo motor. This allows for independent movement as well as easy to set up mirror cutting. Cut your parts in half the time without sacrificing edge and cut quality!

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The ZX-2546 is a great example of how flexible WARDJet’s designs are. When presented with this custom application and set of requirements, WARDJet was able to alter an existing design of our Z-Series and produce the ZX-2546. With almost every component of a WARDJet being produced in our facility in Tallmadge, Ohio, small and large changes are able to be made without the long lead times you may find from other manufacturers. Our dedication to producing as many components as possible ourselves allows us to be sure of the quality and construction of every part of our machine.

Contact us today to see if the ZX-2546 is right for your application or let us know your needs and our skilled staff can suggest a machine or design a solution specifically for your requirements.

Visit the ZX-2546 Page »

Video: Cutting Wood with Waterjet

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Dovetail Joint

Cutting Head Display Box With Dovetail Joints

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Waterjet cutting is an extremely versatile method of manufacturing. It can cut a broad range of materials such as glass, stone, plastics, composites, foam, food, 12" thick materials, carbon fiber, fiberglass and, of course, wood can easily be cut with a waterjet. Even when cutting soft materials like wood, a smooth edge quality can be achieved. Cutting dovetail joints out of wood to make a box is no problem with the advantages of a 5-axis waterjet cutting head. Every day, waterjets are proving themselves as quality and quick solutions for newly discovered applications.

Why have one WARDJet when you can have two!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:22:00 +0000

We've just shipped our newest machines! Below, you'll see photos of our Z-2546. This machine has an extended tank and crossbeam design to enable triple head cutting while still allowing for single head cutting of a full 8' x 12' sheet. You will also find that each of the three heads is independently controlled by its own AC servo motor. This allows for independent movement as well as easy to set up mirror cutting. Cut your parts in half the time without sacrificing edge and cut quality!

We will be covering more features of these machines in an upcoming video, showing how standard parts can be used in new and inventive way to create a machine for any application. Stay tuned for more information on the Z-2546!

-The WARDJet Team

Pro Tip: Eliminating Taper

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:57:00 +0000

We are frequently asked how to reduce taper on abrasive waterjet cut edges. One of the characteristics of waterjet cutting is that increasing or decreasing cutting speed will increase or decrease the amount of taper, or kerf angle, in a cut. http://www.wardjet.com/01-waterjet-cutting-characteristics.html#Speed

Since abrasive waterjet is essentially an erosion process, going slower gives the abrasive more time to remove material in the kerf zone. As you’ll see in the pictures at the link above, as you go faster, the bottom of the cut gets smaller relative to the top. If you went too fast, you would not get through the bottom of the material. On the other extreme, if you go too slowly you can actually get to the point where you have a “reverse taper”, where the kerf width on the top is smaller than on the bottom. In this case, the bottom of an outside cut would be smaller than the top. Somewhere between the two extremes you can get relatively straight edges.

So one way to eliminate taper is to cut slower and this is how people did it before the advent of taper compensation devices.

One of the other characteristics of waterjet cutting is that as you go faster, edge quality will get rougher.

Most of the time people who want to hold tighter tolerances (i.e. less taper) also want a smoother edge, so going slower achieves both of these goals. When cutting faster, sometimes the striations on the bottom half of the cut might be enough to throw a dimension out of tolerance even if the edge were straight because a taper compensation device was used.

Other factors that affect taper:

Stand-off distance – if the nozzle is too high off of the material, the jet loses power quickly and spreads out. You will end up with a slight rounding on the top edge.

http://www.wardjet.com/01-waterjet-cutting-characteristics.html#Nozzle Taper angle will increase at all speeds. For most efficient cutting, a stand-off height between 0.040” and 0.060” is optimum. If you are going to cut this close to the material, a height sensor would be important to reduce the chance of clogging or breaking nozzles.

Condition of consumables – As the abrasive nozzle wears, the stream will get wider, reducing power and increasing the kerf width. Most of the time this grow is not perfectly symmetrical. You could be cutting with an oval shaped stream. In the X direction, the kerf width might be 0.042” while in the Y direction it might be 0.045” or some number. As you can imagine, this would make it difficult to hold tight tolerances.
Cutting head perpendicular to work piece/table – If the cutting head is not perpendicular to the work piece and the table, then it will be impossible to get straight edges. You could end up cutting parts that look like parallelograms:

Depending on how out of square the head was and the cutting speed, an edge like A-D might be perpendicular while edge B-C might have a couple of degrees of taper.

Grates/material not perpendicular to cutting head – If the head is square but the grates that the material is laying on is not perpendicular to the head, then the same effect could be observed. This could be caused by the grates wearing unevenly so that when the material lays on the grates it is at a slight slant relative to the cutting head. Or, when grates are replaced, if they are not leveled properly, there could be a slope to the table. This could be checked by moving the nozzle down until it is a set distance above the grates and then traversing back and forth across the table and observing if that gap changes.
Other factors like abrasive feed rate, part size, lead-in location, fixturing, clamping may also need to be addressed.

Taper compensation devices can be used to eliminate taper, but they cannot correct for situations like those listed above. You can cut faster and get a straighter edge, but the edge is not going to be smooth. You can tilt the head to reduce taper, but if the workpiece is not square to the cutting head, then that error will show up somewhere.

If you want to do common line cutting, taper compensation would not be able to used on those cuts as all the taper would be put into one side.

Another thing to consider is the effect of changes in standoff distance while cutting with taper compensation and what happens to part geometry if this standoff distance changes. This change in standoff distance can be the result of the material stress relieving while cutting, or numerous other factors. When cutting at an angle, be it for taper compensation or steeper angles while 5-axis cutting, maintaining proper standoff distance is critical in maintaining geometry as programmed. If you want to cut a round hole and standoff distance changes, the hole will become eliptical. Square parts will have an hour glass shape.

At WARDJet, we can offer you waterjets with or without taper compensation. As always, we want you to be educated about the pros and cons or various alternatives so that you can make the best choice possible for your situation.

Hyperboloid Cut on a Waterjet

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:16:00 +0000

At WARDJet, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of waterjet cutting. Recently our R&D Department was testing extreme angle cutting of an ellipse. When cutting at a consistent angle you are able to achieve a concave edge on your ellipse. This is what is known as a hyperboloid of one sheet, where many straight lines create the effect of a curved edge. These results illustrate how dynamic waterjet cutting can be. With a wide range of techniques able to produce such varied edge finishes, waterjet cutting may be the perfect solution for your application.

Video:Rebuilding Ground Zero

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:28:00 +0000

The unveiling of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum (museum opens in 2012) at Ground Zero consists of a beautiful memorial park showcasing 152 bronze plates positioned around the memorial pools built in the footprints of Twin Towers.

Service Metal Fabricating, a family business in Rockaway, NJ, was honored to be chosen as one of the fabricators for this precious memorial. They were tasked with cutting all 2,982 names through inch thick bronze, each 10 feet by 5 feet, weighing a little more than 1,000 pounds. The goal was that individuals can physically touch each name of those lost at Ground Zero, at the Pentagon, on Flight 93 and also the six victims from the first World Trade Center bombing on Feb. 26, 1993.

We at WARDJet are honored to have played a small part in this memorial, supplying the waterjet used by Service Metal.

Watch the full episode. See more NOVA.

Video: External Loading Platforms

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:35:00 +0000

With WARDJet's External Loading Platforms you can substantially increase your production. Being able to simultaneously load materials and cut parts minimizes your down time between jobs. This simple solution has proven to be very effective.

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Call us today to ask about our External Loading Platforms or to see how a WARDJet can help to fill your business needs.

Custom Water-Only Tables on a Z-613 Waterjet

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:02:00 +0000

This Z-613 has been fitted with two external loading tables that can be be quickly loaded onto the machine for cutting. This allows for material to be loaded on one table while the second table is cutting. External loading tables are an easy way to increase production and lessen time wasted on loading and unloading. These particular tables are fitted with our water only bricks. These allow for cutting of smaller pieces without worrying about losing them in the tank or using tabs to hold them to the material. This machine and custom tables is just one way that WARDJet is able to engineer custom solutions that work with our already proven designs to deliver the results your company is looking for.

Call us today to see how a WARDJet can help to fill your business needs.

G-Series Crossbeam Milling

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Today we're busy machining our crossbeam for our new G-Series waterjet. This will be our largest waterjet ever built and everyone is very excited to see it come together.

The G-Series will be very sturdy while still able to maintain the tightest of tolerances. In addition to waterjet cutting it will be able to be outfitted for traditional CNC machining.

Our G-Series is in production!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:02:00 +0000

WARDJet is in production on our largest machine yet! Below you'll see Richard Ward standing next to the z-carriages of our new G-Series Machine.

As you can see, this G-Series will feature two z-carriages. One will feature our Psy-Winder cutting head while the other will be outfitted with a standard cutting head. This machine is able to be fit with waterjet cutting heads as well as CNC machining tools. This will allow you to cut parts and machine them all on the same table.

With WARDJet, you know you are getting more than just a waterjet. We have a full team of engineers that love nothing more than to solve your production problems with innovative and intelligent solutions. Call today to see if we can develop a solution for your needs!

WARDJet is Increasing Production!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:58:00 +0000

WARDJet is ramping up production in all areas! In order to reduce lead times and better provide for our customers we are increasing our numbers in every step of our process. With incredible tax benefits available if your new machine is running by the end of the year, time is more important than ever. By readying ourselves beforehand we are able to drastically reduce the time from you deciding to go with a WARDJet and having your new machine up and running on your floor.

From risers, to controller stands, to grates; everything is ready for your order! Contact WARDJet today to reserve your machine and see how we can make a difference in your business.

Video: Testing of Height Sensor Circuit Boards

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:33:00 +0000

At WARDJet, quality and accuracy are two of our highest concerns. In order to ensure this quality in all aspects of our machines, WARDJet custom builds our own circuit boards for most applications. In order to test the accuracy and functionality of these boards, our R & D Department has built a custom testing module for our height sensor circuits. This testing unit is used to check that the height sensor properly reads the height, the crash sensor is able to be triggered appropriately, and the indicator lights are in perfect working order. High quality, innovation, and well engineered parts are what our customers can expect from WARDJet. Precisely the reason we have made maintaining that standard our highest priority.

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-Dan Corby and the WARDJet Team

Happy Fourth of July!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Have a Great Fourth of July!

We at WARDJet would like to wish you a wonderful Independence Day. We are proud to be an American company that produces high quality waterjet systems right here in the USA. Our goal is to build the best systems available and, in turn, build our economy for today and the future.

Come visit our facility in Tallmadge, Ohio and see for yourself how our team takes your production needs and turns them into reality through the use of innovative and creative solutions.

Call us today at (330) 677-9100 to schedule your tour and discover why at WARDJet, you aren't getting just a waterjet, but a team of individuals dedicated to your success.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

-Benjie Massara and the WARDJet Team

One More, Out of the Door!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:30:00 +0000

We're shipping another of our newest machines!

We're loading up and sending another of our Z-2543 models to another customer. The Z-2543 is an extremely versatile water cutting machine, that will open all sorts of new possibilities for our customer. If they would ever like to expand the capabilities of their waterjet, it's easy with a WARDJet. All of our machines are able to be easily upgraded as we use standard parts throughout our machine lineup.

If you'd like to increase productivity and push the boundaries of what's possible in your business, contact WARDJet today to begin designing your perfect waterjet.

-Benjie Massara and the WARDJet Team

Improve Your Business with the Section 179 Tax Credit!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:30:00 +0000

At WARDJet, we’re interested in the success of your business, no matter how big or small it may be. There are new tax changes for 2011 that might be just what your business needs. Below, we outline those changes and what it means for your business.

The passing of the Tax Relief Act of 2011 has provided many new opportunities for businesses both large and small to improve while lessening the tax burden for the year. The largest change of this credit is an increase in the amount that can be deducted on equipment purchased for your business. The base deduction has been increased from $25,000 to $500,000. In addition, the total amount of equipment that can be purchased was increased from $200,000 to $2 million. This new limit applies not only to new and used capital equipment, but to software as well.

Even more important than these limit increases, is the increase in Bonus Depreciation. This special depreciation allowance allows you to claim 100% depreciation on new equipment purchased and put into use in 2011. In other words, you can deduct the entire cost of any new equipment or software as long as you have it up and running on your floor by the end of the year.

If you’ve been thinking about getting a waterjet system for your business or replacing your old system, now is the time. WARDJet is committed to providing you with everything you need to take advantage of these time-sensitive credits. While we will do everything we can to help, the sooner you act the better. Don’t get left out of the credit and miss the chance to improve your business. Why not beat the end of the year rush and contact us today to begin designing the best waterjet system to fit your business needs?

View our Printable Guide to the Section 179 Tax Credit and How to Make it Work for You

-Benjie Massara and the WARDJet Team

People are Talking about WARDJet!

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:41:00 +0000

Recently, we have received wonderful comments and praise from some of our customers and owners of WARDJet machines. We love hearing from people. We enjoy knowing that we are providing customers with the best experience possible, but we also want to hear about what we can do to improve the experience of owning a WARDJet waterjet or any of our products.

“Tony called from Genesee Welding and wanted to talk to you regarding how much he has appreciated the tech support employees”

“Had several issues with our machine that your team was all very helpful and attentive to our needs and helpful in resolving problem quickly, as always your service is fabulous, Thank You”

“I like the WARDJet machine because of its simplicity. It is very easy for me to find and train operators. While others might see great benefit to the things like 5-axis cutting, drilling, tapping and everything else you guys offer, the Keep It Simple concept of the base machine makes the WARDJet productive and profitable for what we do.”

If you’d like to hear more of what people are saying about WARDJet, visit our Testimonials Page for customer comments and stories.

-Benjie Massara and the WARDJet Team

NEW Article: Three Waterjet Heads Are Better Than One

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:49:00 +0000

WARDJet is featured in an article about waterjet cutting with 3 cutting heads and 60,000 psi. Metals & Services, Addison, Ill., customer of WARDJet, discovers the advantages of cutting at 60 kpsi over cutting at 90 kpsi. WARDJet can offer both 60 kpsi and 90 kpsi pumps. We do like to educate our customers about the pros and cons of each so that they can make an educated decision about what is best for their application. Things we suggest people consider are:

Consumable parts costs are significantly more expensive at 90 kpsi.
Consumable life tends to be much lower at 90 kpsi vs. 60 kpsi.
When seals fail on a 90 kpsi pump, it tends to be a very rapid, violent failure. With 60 kpsi, when seals start to leak it tends to be a more gradual process so that you can normally just back off the pressure a bit, cut a little slower until you get to a point where you can take the pump out of service for repair
Things like support grates under your material get cut up very quickly at the higher pressure
90 kpsi might cut 40% faster. So say theoretically you could cut a certain material and thickness with a 60 kpsi pump at 10 ipm. This would mean you could cut it at 14 ipm with 90 kpsi. What is often not explained is that in order to do that the 90 kpsi pump needs to be 100 HP to be able to run one 0.014”/0.040” nozzle combination. For an apples-to-apples comparison, a 60 kpsi, 100 HP pump can run two heads with the 0.014”/0.040” combo. Therefore a 60 kpsi pump, 100HP could cut the equivalent of 20 ipm (2 heads x 10 ipm) versus 14 ipm (1 head x 14 ipm)for 90 kpsi.
Abrasive used with 90 kpsi cannot be recycled because it is pulverized in the stream. With 60 kpsi you at least have the option to consider recycling.

At WARDJet, we also have some unique design concepts for our machine that allow our 60 kpsi machines to cut 20-30% faster than others.

Metals & Services decided to do their own research and determined that cutting with 3 heads at 60 kpsi would be most cost-effective for their application.
Follow the link to read the article:

Three Waterjet Heads Are Better Than One

-Jeff Day & the WARDJet Team

Video: Custom Waterjet for a Specific Application

noreply@blogger.com (WARDJet Waterjets) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Customers often come to us with specific applications for waterjet cutting. We're always ready to accept the challenge and are continually excited to discover new ways to build a quality product for our customers.

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This custom built waterjet utilizes standard parts to achieve a specific application. Eight cutting heads follow a set path across a pressurized cutting table to cut a specific part in great volumes. The side beams were raised to allow loading from the sides in addition to the usual loading from front and back. The tank underneath is sloped to allow a steady draining of kerf and waste material. The risers are significantly shorter and the cross-beam is mounted on the bottom of the plates that secure. This was done to keep the waterjet shorter in height and to allow only the 1 inch Z-axis travel that is required. This machine illustrates how custom design with standardized parts can produce a waterjet to fit particular needs. Contact us today to see if a solution such as this is right for your custom application.

-Dan Corby and the WARDJet Team