INTRODUCTION

Waterjets were introduced in the United States during the 1970s, and were utilized merely for cleaning purposes. The first adoption of the technology was primarily in the aviation and space industries which found the waterjet a perfect tool for cutting high strength materials such as stainless steel, and titanium as well as high strength lightweight materials. As the technology developed to include abrasive waterjets, new applications were discovered. Since then, abrasive waterjets have been introduced into many other industries such as job-shop, stone, tile, glass cutting. In the battle to reduce costs, engineering and manufacturing departments are constantly on the lookout for an edge. The waterjet process provides many unique capabilities and advantages that can prove very effective in the cost battle. Beyond cost cutting, the water jet process is recognized as the most versatile and fastest growing process in the world. Waterjets are used in high production applications across the globe. They compliment other technologies such as milling, laser, EDM, plasma and routers. No noxious gases or liquids are used in waterjet cutting, and waterjets do not create hazardous materials or vapors. No heat effected zones or mechanical stresses are left on a waterjet cut surface. It is truly a versatile, productive, cold cutting process. The waterjet has shown that it can do things that other technologies simply cannot. From cutting thin details in stone, glass and metals; to rapid hole drilling of titanium; to cutting of food, the waterjet has proven itself unique.

WATERJET CUTTER - HOW IT WORKS

A water jet cutter is a tool capable of slicing into metal or other materials using a jet of water at high velocity and pressure, or a mixture of water and an abrasive substance. The process is essentially the same as water erosion found in nature but accelerated and concentrated by orders of magnitude. It is often used during fabrication or manufacture of parts for machinery and other devices. It has found applications in a diverse number of industries from mining to aerospace where it is used for operations such as cutting, shaping, carving, and reaming. The energy required for cutting materials is obtained by pressurizing water to ultra-high pressures and forming intense cutting stream by focusing this high-speed water through a small, precious-stone orifice. There are two main steps involved in the waterjet cutting process. 1. The ultra-high pressure pump or intensifier generally pressurizes normal tap water at pressure levels above 40,000 psi (2760 bar); to produce the energy required for cutting. 2. Water is then focused through a small precious stone orifice to form an intense cutting stream. The stream moves at a velocity of up to 2.5 times the speed of sound, depending on how the water pressure is exerted.

The process is applicable to both water only and abrasive jets. For abrasive cutting applications, abrasive garnet is fed into the abrasive mixing chamber, which is part of the cutting head body, to produce a coherent and an extremely energetic abrasive jet stream. To achieve these pressures, water is introduced into the unit by way of a booster pump and filter. This filtering process is very important as water must be clean before reaching ultra-high pressures in order to protect the high pressure parts and provide a consistent cutting stream. A water treatment system is sometimes needed to remove harmful minerals from the water. After being filtered, the water enters the high pressure cylinder where it is pressurized to the desired level. The water is then carried to either an abrasive or straight-water cutting nozzle, depending on the application. The cutting nozzle can be stationary or integrated into motion equipment, which allows for intricate shapes and designs to be cut.

Types of Waterjet

The two types of waterjets are the pure waterjet and the abrasive waterjet. Both have unique capabilities proven a benefit to industry.

1. Pure Waterjet

PURE WATERJET Pure waterjet is the original water cutting method. The first commercial applications were in the early to mid 1970s, and involved the cutting of corrugated cardboard. The largest uses for pure waterjet cutting are disposable diapers, tissue paper, and automotive interiors. In the cases of tissue paper and disposable diapers the waterjet process creates less moisture on the material than touching or breathing on it.

Pure Waterjet Attributes

Very thin stream (0.004 to 0.010 inch in diameter is the common range) Extremely detailed geometry Very little material loss due to cutting Non-heat cutting Cut very thick Cut very thin Usually cuts very quickly Able to cut soft, light materials (e.g., fiberglass up to 24 thick) Extremely low cutting forces Simple fixturing 24 hour per day operation

Pure Water jet Cutting Heads

In waterjet cutting, the material removal process can be described as a supersonic erosion process. It is not pressure, but stream velocity that tears away microscopic pieces or grains of material. Pressure and velocity are two distinct forms of energy. But how is the pumps water pressure converted to this other form of energy, water velocity? The answer lies in a tiny jewel. A jewel is affixed to the end of the plumbing tubing. The jewel has a tiny hole in it. The pressurized water passes through this tiny opening changing the pressure to velocity. At approximately 40,000 psi the resulting stream that passes out of the orifice. Pure waterjet orifice diameter ranges from 0.004 to 0.010 inch for typical cutting. The three common types of orifice materials are sapphire, ruby and diamond each have their own unique attributes. Sapphire is the most common orifice material used today. It is a man-made, single crystal jewel with a fairly good quality stream. Ruby can also be used in abrasive waterjet applications. The stream characteristics are well suited for abrasivejets, but are not well suited for pure waterjet cutting. The cost is approximately the same as the sapphire. Diamond has considerably longer run life but is 10 to 20 times more costly. Diamond is especially useful where 24 hour per day operation is required. Diamonds, unlike the other orifice types, can sometimes be ultrasonically cleaned and reused.

ABRASIVE WATERJET

ABRASIVE WATERJET CUTTING

The abrasive waterjet differs from the pure waterjet in just a few ways. In pure waterjet, the supersonic stream erodes the material. In the abrasive waterjet, the waterjet stream accelerates abrasive particles and those particles, not the water, erode the material. The abrasive waterjet is more powerful than a pure waterjet. Both the waterjet and the abrasive waterjet have their place. Where the pure waterjet cuts soft materials, the abrasive waterjet cuts hard materials, such as metals, stone, composites and ceramics.

Abrasive Waterjet Attributes

Extremely versatile process No Heat Affected Zones No mechanical stresses Easy to program Thin stream (0.020to 0.050 inch in diameter) 10 inch thick cutting Little material loss due to cutting Simple to fixture Low cutting forces .One jet setup for nearly all abrasive jet jobs Easily switched from single to multi-head use Quickly switch from pure waterjet to abrasive waterjet Reduced secondary operations

Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Heads

Within every abrasive waterjet is a pure waterjet. Abrasive is added after the pure waterjet stream is created. Then the abrasive particles are accelerated, like a bullet in a rifle, down the mixing tube. The abrasive used in abrasive waterjet cutting is hard sand that is specially screened and sized. The most common abrasive is garnet. Garnet is hard, tough and inexpensive. Like the pink colored sandpaper found at the hardware store, different mesh sizes are used for different jobs:

120 Mesh produces smooth surface 80 Mesh most common, general purpose 50 Mesh cuts a little faster than 80, with slightly rougher surface

The mixing tube acts like a rifle barrel to accelerate the abrasive particles. They, like the orifice, come in many different sizes and replacement life. Mixing tubes are approximately 3 inches long, inch in diameter, and have internal diameters ranging from 0.020 to 0.060 inch, with the most common being 0.040 inch. Although the abrasive waterjet machine typically is considered simple to operate the mixing tube does require operator attention. A major technological advancement in waterjet was the invention of truly long-life mixing tubes. Unfortunately, the longer life tubes are far more brittle than their predecessors, tungsten carbide tubes. If the cutting head comes in contact with clamps, weights, or the target material the tube may be broken. Broken tubes cannot be repaired.

COMPONENTS

The waterjet consists of a stream of ultra-high pressure water carrying abrasive at velocities of up to 2500 feet per second. The cutting is done by an erosive and shearing action of the material. The abrasive acts as tiny knives cutting away the material, in the same manner as saw cuts, only on a much smaller scale and in rapid succession.

Pump-(a) Direct drive pump (b) Intensifier Based Pump

High pressure plumbing Mixing tube Nozzle Attenuator Catchers

THE PUMP

The pump is the heart of the waterjet system. The pump pressurizes the water and delivers it continuously so that a cutting head can then turn that pressurized water into a supersonic waterjet stream. Two types of pump can be used for waterjet applications an intensifier based pump and a direct drive based pump.

DIRECT DRIVE PUMP

The direct drive pump operates in the same manner as a low-pressure pressure washer that you may have used to pressure wash a house or deck prior to repainting. It is a triplex pump that gets the movement of the three plungers directly from the electric motor. These pumps are gaining acceptance in the waterjet industry due to their simplicity. At the time of this writing, direct drive pumps can deliver a maximum continuous operating pressure 10 to 25% lower than intensifier pumps units. Though direct drive pumps are used in some industrial applications, the vast majority of all ultra-high pressure pumps in the waterjet world today are intensifier based.

The Direct Drive pump is a relatively new type of high-pressure pump (commercially available since late 1980's).

INTENSIFIER BASED PUMPS

High pressure intensifier pumps are used to pressurize the water as high as 55,000 psi. For the abrasive waterjet, the operating pressure ranges from 31,000 to 37,000 psi. At this high pressure the flow rate of the water is reduced greatly. Two fluid circuits exist in a typical intensifier pump, the water circuit and the hydraulic circuit. The water circuit consists of the inlet water filters, booster pump, intensifier, and shock attenuator. The hydraulic circuit consists of an electric motor (25 to 200 HP), hydraulic pump, oil reservoir, manifold, and piston biscuit/plunger. The pump pressurizes water with help of piston biscuit.

Typical intensifier pumping unit. This unit is designed to stand alone, rather than integrated into motion equipment. High Pressure Plumbing

Swivels for different joint styles Once the high-pressure pump has created the water pressure, high-pressure plumbing delivers the water to the cutting head. In addition to transporting the high-pressure water, the plumbing also provides freedom of movement to the cutting head. The most common type of high-pressure plumbing is special stainless steel tubing. The tubing comes in different sizes for different purposes. More than tubing is needed to transport the water and provide movement; other fittings are also needed. Ts, straight connectors, elbows, shut off valves and swivels may be required. Nozzle

Once the water is pressurized, it is forced through a sapphire nozzle which is composed of the natural sapphire stone due to the strength of the stone. The nozzle can have diameters ranging from 0.003 to

0.026 inches. The diameter of the nozzle can be varied depending on the application for which the waterjet is being used. A damaged nozzle leads to poor cohesion of the stream, thereby reducing the cutting ability greatly. The nozzle typically will last 100 to 200 hours before it needs to be r eplaced [8].

Mixing Tube

The stream of water which emerges from the nozzle is then mixed with the abrasive. This takes place in the mixing tube, which is usually constructed out of tungsten-carbide. Wear of the mixing tube, due to the abrasive, is a problem and it needs frequent replacement. When the tube becomes worn, the jet no longer is cohesive and loses power and cutting ability rapidly.

Attenuator

Before the water leaves the pump unit to travel through the plumbing to the cutting head, it first passes through the shock attenuator. This large vessel dampens the pressure fluctuations to ensure the water exiting the cutting head is steady and consistent. Without the attenuator, the water stream would visibly and audibly pulse, leaving marks on the material being cut.

Catchers

After the cut has been made the water, abrasive material is collected in a catcher. In a field situation there are still problems catching the waste material. Often catchers need to be custom designed for a specific job.

CREATION OF HIGH PRESSURE WATER

Two fluid circuits exist in a typical intensifier pump, the water circuit and the hydraulic circuit.

The water circuit consists of the inlet water filters, booster pump, intensifier, and shock attenuator. Ordinary tap water is filtered by the inlet water filtration system usually comprising of a cartridge filter. The filtered water then travels to the booster pump, where the inlet water pressure is maintained at approximately 90 psi ensuring the intensifier is never starved for water. The filtered water is then sent to the intensifier pump and pressurized to up to 60,000 psi. Before the water leaves the pump unit to travel through the plumbing to the cutting head, it first passes through the shock attenuator. This large vessel dampens the pressure fluctuations to ensure the water exiting the cutting head is steady and consistent. Without the attenuator, the water stream would visibly and audibly pulse, leaving marks on the material being cut. The hydraulic circuit consists of an electric motor (25 to 200 HP), hydraulic pump, oil reservoir, manifold, and piston biscuit/plunger. The electric motor powers the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump pulls oil from the reservoir and pressurizes it to 3,000 psi. This pressurized oil is sent to the manifold where manifolds valves create the stroking action of the intensifier by sending hydraulic oil to one side of the biscuit/plunger assembly, or the other. The intensifier is a reciprocating pump, in that the biscuit/plunger assembly reciprocates back and forth, delivering high-pressure water out one side of the intensifier while low-pressure water fills the other side. The hydraulic oil is then cooled during the return back to the reservoir.

The advanced technology in the pump is found in the intensifier. As mentioned briefly in the description of the water circuit, the intensifier pressurizes the filtered tap water to up to 60,000 psi. Intensifier pumps utilize the intensification principle. Hydraulic oil is pressurized to a pressure of, say, 3,000 psi. The oil pushes against a piston biscuit. A plunger with a face area of 20 times less than the biscuit pushes against the water. Therefore, the 3,000-psi oil pressure is intensified twenty times, yielding 60,000-psi water pressure. The intensification principle varies the area component of the pressure equation to intensify, or increase, the pressure. Pressure = Force /Area If Force = 20, Area = 20, then Pressure = 1. If we hold the Force constant and greatly reduce the Area, the Pressure will go UP. For example, reduce the Area from 20 down to 1, the Pressure now goes up from 1 to 20. In the sketch below, the small arrows denote the 3,000 psi of oil pressure pushing against a biscuit face that has 20 times more area than the face of the plunger. The intensification ratio, therefore, is 20:1.

The biscuit contains the small arrow suggesting movement to the left. The two water plungers extend from either side of the biscuit. High-pressure water is delivered out the left side while low-pressure water refills the right. At the end of travel, the biscuit/plunger assembly sequence is reversed.

Sophisticated check valves ensure the low pressure and high-pressure water is only allowed to travel one direction. The high-pressure cylinders and end caps that encase the plunger and biscuit assembly are specially designed to withstand the enormous force and the constant fatigue.

APPLICATIONS:

Flexible waterjet cutting technology is used in practically all sectors of industry: Aerospace, residential and industrial construction, mechanical engineering, the glass industry, the wood, textiles and paper industries, the automotive and its supplier industries, and the electrical, electronic and foodstuffs industries. Unlike traditional thermal cutting methods, waterjet cutting technology wins friends with its high level of cost-effectiveness and flexibility. The most diverse materials, from metal via plastics up to and including granite, can be quickly and precisely worked using a high-pressure jet of water. Material thickness of 150 mm or more present no difficulties to our cutting processes. The waterjet achieves optimum cut-edge qualities on both simple and extremely complex contours. General applications: Sheet metal: Stainless steel, carbon steel, high-alloy nickel steels, aluminum, titanium, copper Building: Decorative stone, marble, granite, tiles, plasterboard, glass and mineral wool Glass: Laminated glass, safety glass, and bulletproof glass Foodstuffs: Baked goods, deep-frozen products and fish Paper: Cardboard, corrugated cardboard, printing papers Miscellaneous: Plywood, leather, textiles, composites, rubber, plastics, sealing materials and foams .

ADVANTAGES OF WATERJET CUTTING

An important benefit of the water jet cutter is the ability to cut material without interfering with the material's inherent structure as there is no "heat affected zone" or HAZ. Minimizing the effects of heat allows metals to be cut without harming or changing intrinsic properties. Materials cut with waterjet undergo no thermal stress, eliminates undesirable results like surface hardening, warping and emission of hazardous gases. 1. Cold cutting no heat affected zones, no hardening 2. Omni directional cutting ability to cut in any direction 3. Perforates most materials without starting holes 4. Cuts virtually any material 5. Net-shape or near-net-shape parts (no secondary processing required in many applications) 6. Good surface finish 7. Environmentally friendly 8. Reduces dust and hazardous gases 9. Does not workload material stress-free cutting 10. Saves raw material 11. Faster than many conventional cutting tools Another major advantage is waterjets ability to cut fiber-reinforced materials, uneven surfaces and stacked level of different materials.

LIMITATIONS OF WATER JET CUTTING

1) It is a very expensive technology.

2) It creates a lot of noise. 3) It requires a regular maintenance. 4) Sometimes a large amount of water is being wasted.

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE SCOPE

Since its development, waterjet machining has seen many improvements in its design. Waterjet cutting technology is one of the fastest growing major machine tool processes in the world due to its versatility and ease of operation. Manufacturers are realizing that there are virtually no limits to what waterjets are capable of cutting and machining. Machine shops of all sizes are realizing greater efficiency and productivity by implementing UHP waterjets in their operations. Waterjets are becoming the machine tool of choice for many shops. Since abrasive waterjet (AWJ) technology was first invented by Flow in the early 1980s, the technology has rapidly evolved with continuous research and development. What makes waterjets so popular? Waterjets require few secondary operations, produce net-shaped parts with no heat-affected zone, heat distortion, or mechanical stresses caused by other cutting methods, can cut with a narrow kerfs, and can provide better usage of raw material since parts can be tightly nested. As a result of the Flow Master PC control system and intuitive operation, waterjets are extremely easy to use. Typically, operators can be trained in hours and are producing high quality parts in hours. Additionally, waterjets can cut virtually any material, leaving a satin-smooth edge. These benefits add up to significant cost savings per part in industries that have traditionally defined productivity by cost per hour. The latest development in the field of waterjet cutting is the use of super water for cutting, which enhances both abrasive and non-abrasive waterjet cutting.

SEMINAR REPORT
ON

W T R E C T IN AE J T UT G

SUBMITTED BY:

MANGESH M.GHAWAT
GUIDE

Prof. B. D. DESHMUKH
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (2007-2008) YESHWANTRAO CHAVAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, NAGPUR

YESHWANTRAO CHAVAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Certificate
This is to certify that the Seminar report titled WATERJET

CUTTING has been

has been duly completed by

MANGESH GHAWAT towards partial fulfillment of V

semester B.E., Mechanical Engineering under Nagpur University for the session 2007-2008.

Prof. B. D.DESHMUKH GUIDE:

Prof. S. L. BANKER H. O.D. (Dept. of Mech. Engg)

ACKNOLEDGEMENT
We take this to convey our immense gratitude to our H.O.D. S.L.Bankar whose perseverance has helped us to understand better the finer of the Project Report. And the personal involvement of Guide Prof. B.D.DESHMUKH Sir in the report has been a major source of inspiration throughout the semester.

This would not have been successful but for his will to win, timely tips & meticulous planning. We are deeply indebted to him. We are thankful to the members of who has supported and for their inspiration and great help.My sincere thank to our H.O.D. Prof. S. L. Bankar for there kind co-operation and help.

Bibliography

www.wikipedia.com www.Flowcorporations. Com

www.teenking.com