The Finecut WMC500II Micro Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Machine from Finepart AB (Sweden)
Micro Abrasive Waterjet (MAW) Machining has gained traction in the cost effective manufacturing of precision components. This versatile cutting edge method offers a non-thermal, non-conductive process which is capable of machining virtually any material with extreme accuracy whilst preserving its properties. The fine surface finishes it produces reduce any requirement for any subsequent machining or finishing processes.
These qualitative and economic advantages present important opportunities for the manufacturing industry to meet the challenges presented by new and advanced materials, both metallic and non-metallic, without any heat-affected zones or thermal distortion and with extremely low cutting forces. This process is a huge departure from conventional waterjet cutting and, for some applications, a highly viable alternative to wire EDM. With potentially much easier and faster setup times requiring a lower degree of operator proficiency and for materials up to a certain thickness, a much faster cut time, making high-volume parts significantly more profitable.
With jet diameters as fine as 0.2mm extremely intricate and highly accurate features as fine as 0.1mm can be produced very easily and repeatably on components of all thicknesses. Like conventional Waterjet Cutting the Finecut quickly pierces the material and cuts in one single operation. Hence, a significant advantage over Wire EDM Machining is that no predrilled holes are required and no threading of wire etc. in the setup which vastly reduces set-up time. Extremely low cutting forces mean high accuracy can be achieved with zero component distortion and zero induction of heat, hence an ideal process for cutting very thin sheets of material.
Another distinct advantage of the Finecut is that it is easily made automatable via robot access through the rear panel of the machine for loading and unloading of material and finished parts. The construction of the machine is very rigid with very precise motion paths and a machining envelope which can accommodate simple 3 axis processes as well as bespoke 6 axis configurations for highly complex prismatic components.
High Accuracy and high speed with the ability to pierce material to begin the cutting process.
The Finecut has the capability of producing component tolerances of 0.010mm overall and a repeatability of 0.002mm, which puts it on a par with Wire EDM but with a potentially faster and easier set up and the ability for multi axis operations as well as being fully automatable. Within the range of machines available, the availability to offer a wider scope of work than Wire EDM is very possible with both more complex geometries and shapes as well as a vast array of materials both metallic and non-metallic, thus opening up a wide range of opportunities beyond the limit of Wire EDM.
Although the Finecut Micro Abrasive Waterjet Cutting solution may be viewed as directly competitive with Wire EDM, it is also a complimentary process which enables existing users of Wire EDM to expand their capabilities to cut non- conductive materials additionally such as:
A huge advantage to the Finecut System is the ease of use and rapid set up times for quick change over making lower volume work much more cost effective. This simplicity also means a very short learning curve for operators. In most cases and on most materials the Micro Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Process is much faster up to a certain thickness of material than Wire EDM.
Shown below are the essential components of the Micro Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Machine, water, abrasive, the cutting head and Air. This is the typical consumption for just one minute of running.
An application which exemplifies the capabilities of Micro Abrasive Water Jet Cutting is shown in the illustration below which is a vascular clip used in laparoscopic surgery. This component is cut from 0.9mm thick NiTi Sheet and features toothed contact to lock it in the closed state. The geometry includes thin spring sections which measure 0.1mm in width with an overall component tolerance of +/- 0.010mm.
Produced in 1 minute and 31 seconds with a 200-micron diameter jet resulting in a machine running cost of £0.40 per piece, inclusive of power, water, consumables and preventative maintenance.
The ability to cut virtually any material to high tolerances with multiple axis means the Micro Abrasive Waterjet Process is an ideal choice for prototyping and a perfect development enabler for new materials. The Finecut comes with an intuitive operator interface (HMI) and a CADCAM operator system which helps to select the correct cutting speed and optimize programming for micro abrasive waterjet cutting. Advanced machining tasks can be facilitated through a range of options available within the controller such as 3, 4 and 5-axis manipulation for producing complex geometries such as the five-axis impeller shown below.
Processes utilising simultaneous axes are also available as well as smart fixturing solutions and on-board measuring devices such as touch probing to qualify fixture or component position to within microns.
The ongoing development of this technology by Finepart since they were founded in 2007 means that Micro Abrasive Water Jet Cutting is now a fully mature and highly cost-effective manufacturing technology and indeed for some materials, the only viable method of production. These advancements underscore the eventuality that there is now a very credible alternative to Wire EDM which is potentially more cost effective, automatable, versatile and easy to use. Finecut Micro Abrasive Water Jet Technology is definitely worth a closer look to see what it could mean for your business.
Rainford Precision specialises in providing comprehensive support for precision machining applications, offering expert guidance in tool selection, process optimisation, and technical problem-solving. For more information or to discuss your requirements please contact our national machine tool sales manager, Jaison Toon, on 07774 924757 or email him at jaison.toon@rainfordprecision.com.
You can also get in touch with our offices either via our website or by giving us a call at 01744 903757.