In this post, I’m going to explain how I cut out my keystone shapes on the Water Jet machine at

TechShop Pittsburgh.

There’s quite a bit of software and artwork setup to walk through before getting to the coolest
part…. cutting through metal!

Overview:

There are 3 major steps: Design, Tool-Pathing your design and Using the Water Jet to cut your
artwork file.

1. Design (software: Illustrator and VCarve)

a. Creating artwork in Illustrator or a vectors based program
b. Open .AI file in VCarve to make vector files easier to read on FlowPath
and FlowCut (software that the Water Jet machine actually runs out)

2. Tool-pathing your artwork (software: FlowPath)

a. FlowPath is a clunky design software program meant to create artwork for
FlowCut (the software the water jet uses). Illustrator is much easier to
create designs and then tool-path in FlowPath so the artwork can be read
in FlowCut.
b. Paths and Cut In’s/Cut Out’s must be made in order to successfully run
your artwork file on the Water Jet with Flow Cut
c. Export an .ord file and open in FlowCut

3. Run FlowCut on the Water jet machine (software: FlowCut)

a. choosing your cutting speed and material selection
b. setting up your material on the water jet bed, homing the machine to cut
your file

It’s worth it once you’re able to hold your shiny freshly cut metal form in hand!
Step 1: Create Artwork File In A Vector Program (in this case Illustrator)

● Create your file width and height to match the area of metal you plan on cutting
● save your file (and save often)
Step 2: Create Your Artwork

● I want my final large keystone pendants to be .5”w x .5”l. The cut from the water jet takes
up about .025” space. So, to account for all four sides I’ve scaled my artwork up slightly
to .55”wx .55”l. I’ve also made sure to leave about .1” between the shapes.
(there’s a way to nest these more efficiently later on in the process. It’s still good practice to set
up artwork in the simplest way possible.)
● Once artwork is in place save the file.
● Save as an .ai file to be opened next in VCarve Pro
Step 3: Open in VCarve Pro (technically VCarve isn’t necessary, but I’ve personally found that it
greatly helps reduce foibles that occur in vector artwork moving between Illustrator to FlowPath.)

● First, choose the white selection arrow (tool names appear upon hover)
● Click & drag to select the entire artboard. The artwork will highlight in pink.

● Then choose the Join Open Vectors icon This ensures that there are no open gaps
in your artwork.
● When the gaps are closed a side menu will appear and will provide the number of joints
altogether and how many are open or closed.
Step 4: Fit Curves Along Vectors
● The final software that the Water Jet runs on is not very good at cutting rounded bezier
curves. This artwork doesn’t necessarily have rounded bezier curves, but it still helps to

“fit curves to selected vectors” to smooth out any kinks.

● Select the whole artboard area with the white selection arrow and choose “fit curves to
vectors” then check the boxes “circular arcs”, “sharp corners” and “replace selected
vectors”
Step 5: Nesting Artwork
● I tried to align my artwork in Illustrator previously to allow enough cutting space between
each object to fit on my metal sheet. VCarve does an even better job at this.

● Once again, choose the white selector arrow and highlight all artwork on the artboard

● Then choose the Nest icon from the side menu.

● Enter .05” in the Clearance menu. Generally, the rest of the default options on the side
menu work well as seen in the image. Then click the Nest button.
● Your artwork should shift into a more efficient space that FlowPath and FlowCut (the
software that the Waterjet reads) will have an easier time processing.
● It’s possible that not all of the artwork fits on one sheet or artboard and VCarve may
have created a second sheet. If you only have one sheet, then going through this
process is helpful so you don’t end up with partially cut off pieces. You’ll know if VCarve
has created a second sheet if a scroll bar appears on the bottom of the screen indicating
that there’s another artboard.
Step 6: Preparing your 2D File for tool-pathing with FlowPATH
● Open your saved .dxf file and the artwork should appear on a grid
● If your file is on the screen but not on the grid, you will need to move the artwork

● Click on the yellow selector arrow from the top menu and click and drag to select
your entire artwork. It will highlight in red to indicate it’s selected.

● Then select the Move tool from the tool bar menu on the right , now drag your
artwork onto the grid and click once to place it there.
● Every box on the grid represents a 2” x 2” space. You can also look at the X and Y
coordinates in order to gauge relative space and distance
Step 7: Select your cutting speed and turning on snaps

● Once again click on the yellow selector arrow and highlight your artwork area
● Pick between the cut speeds at the bottom. Since I’ll be cutting 18 gauge brass, a faster

speed of 80 will work.

● Generally, the thicker the material the slower the cutting speed and the thinner the
materials the faster the cutting speed.
● You’ll notice once you select a cutting speed the artwork will highlight to the assigned
color. (Both yellow 100 & cyan 60 are a little difficult to see. Fortunately, you can select a
different number and change your speed later in FlowCut.)

● While your artwork is selected you’ll want to turn on Snap Nearest . This will help
streamline your points to snap to the nearest grid within a few pixels for lead in’s and
lead out’s.
● Setting a “Lead In” means dictating where a cut will start. Setting a “Lead Out” dictates
where a cut will end. Lead In’s and Out’s must be drawn in order for anything to be cut.
Step 8: examine and purge your artwork

● Use the yellow selector arrow to highlight the artwork

● Then select the Examine tool from the right menu and click. A yellow solid outline
should appear around all your artwork or shapes.
● Immediately select the Purge tool below and click. (similar to VCarve, Purge will find
any gaps your artwork. If a number of entries appear then you might need to go back
and revisit your artwork to see if a shape isn’t closed unless it’s on purpose to be open.)
step 9: making tabs (only necessary if your artwork is smaller than 2” so it doesn’t fall through
the water jet bed grate)

● From the top menu, navigate to “Draw” and select “Tab Properties” from the drop down
menu.
● You’ll want to change the width and length to a minimum of .05 or else the tab will be too
small to hold your partially cut shape in place

● Next select the Draw Tabs Icon from the left menu
● Hover over your artwork and you’ll see a black and pink line to indicate which line to add
your tab. You MUST make sure your tab is facing outside the artwork/shape area
● It’s best to also try to have your tab facing away from a cut line and on a straight path. If
a tab gets too close to the edge or another cut line the cut shape can fall through the
water jet bed grate and will be lost
step 10: Autopath and exporting to FlowCut

● Use the yellow arrow to select all your artwork and click on the AutoPath icon in the right
side menu
● The AuthPath tool will draw your Lead In’s and Lead Out’s to tell the Water Jet machine
the most efficient way and direction to cut out your shapes
● There is a manual way of doing this and there is a great instructables here if you’d like to
try it:
http://www.instructables.com/id/FlowJet-Series-Part-5-Manual-Pathing-in-FlowPath/?ALL
STEPS
● It’s OK with the arrows go off the grid. Generally, if you saw a lot of small red arrows
concentrated in a certain area (smaller than the ones pictures here) then it may be
problematic. Since we used VCarve to turn our vector paths into arcs and close gaps our
artwork should AutoPath OK.
● Save your file
● Then export your path as an .ord file (to be read by FlowCut and the Water Jet Machine)
from the file menu.
step 11: Setting your materials and cutting speed in Flow Cut

● Your file should pretty similar to FlowPath - sitting in the same area of the grid with the
authpath arrows present
● Looking at the right side bar menu, you’ll want to adjust your Thickness, Materials (or
Machinability) and Pierce Time
● I’m cutting 16 gauge brass sheet metal which has a .05” thickness so that what I’ll enter
in the “Thickness” field
● For your Materials (Machinability), pick the closest materials from the dropdown menu
you can find. In this case, “Brass half-hard” is chosen.
● Your tool radius and scale can most likely stay at the default setting pictured here.
● Last thing you’ll want to adjust is “Pierce Time” which I’ll set at .15 sec based on my
class at TechShop

Step 12: Preview your cut and run time

 ● Hit the Preview (Center bottom button) and you will see your cuts outlined in red
● In the right side menu you’ll be able to see the estimated cut time, it’ll take me about
3min and 24sec
● Unfortunately, this isn’t a cheap machine to use $3 per min to run the WaterJet, but I
think it’s still worth it than cutting out 20 pieces of keystones separately, especially if you
plan on making more again. Your file is all set up, so next time you can just go straight to
the machine and run it!

now, to the machine….

Step 13: Setting up your materials on the waterjet bed

● A quick overview on gauges and parts of the waterjet machine check here.
● In the Pittsburgh area we have a metal jig with a 90 degree angle which visualizes the
outer edge from which the nozzle can move.
● You’ll see my brass is taped to a sacrificial wooden board and then aligned to the jig.
This is helpful so your piece doesn’t slide around or sink into the waterbed.
Step 14: Homing

● When you open your file in FlowCut, first double check all your materials/speed/

thickness settings are the same. Then hit the “run machine” button to
Home the nozzle.
● You’ll then have to move the nozzle on the waterjet to line up over your material area
(“homing”).
● Once you’ve aligned the nozzle X and Y paths, hit the home button and choose “Set
Current Position As Home”
● Using the arrow keys on the computer keyboard you can trace the perimeter of your
artwork and look in FlowCut to see if the outlined path matches with your physical path
traveled by the waterjet nozzle. If you need to readjust you can always reset your home
position.
● When everything is in place you’ll then turn on the pump, check your gauges and let the
machine run!