The 4-Pillars of High-Volume Water Jet Cutting - Part 2: Durability & 24/7 Engineering

Many people believe that high-volume output from a water jet cutting system depends solely on faster cutting speeds, larger pumps, and more horsepower. While that combination makes sense for NASCAR or Formula 1, it falls well short of creating a system that can reliably and consistently maximize a water jet's output.

It’s more involved than a singular “more power” approach. It requires the skillful integration of four independent elements, something we call the Four Pillars of High-Volume Cutting. Those four pillars are:

1. Machine Configuration
2. Durability & 24/7 Capability
3. Operations & Automation
4. Maintenance & Support for Extreme Uptime

In part 2 of our 4 part series on high-volume cutting, we’ll explore how the engineering and durability of your machine impacts its productivity. After all, uptime is engineered, not assumed.

Pillar 2: Durability & 24/7 Engineering - Built to Run Hard

What is the most common advertising message from leading pickup truck brands? Something like, “Built tough for tough work.” Or, “Built to take anything you can throw at it.” Well, the same applies to your cutting system. To deliver reliable, on-spec, maximum output in the demanding environment of a fabrication facility, the tool had better been engineered and constructed to withstand that kind of treatment. That said, how do you know if a cutting system has what it takes to perform as a production tool? Let’s find out.

Industrial-Grade Design for Enhanced Durability

The water jet cutting system must be designed for continuous operation in an industrial setting for a simple reason:

You can’t achieve consistent high-volume output with a tool that wasn’t designed for continuous operation.

Here’s some of the important clues that tell you a water jet has the industrial-grade design you need:

• Steel fabricated and positive pressurized way covers. Bellows covers are a common choice for some machine builders, but quickly become a maintenance nightmare leading to unplanned downtime and expensive repairs.
• Isolated Catch Tank. Some machine designs opt for the cheaper approach of a unitized frame and tank, but ultimately this approach injects significant vibrations resulting in premature wear and failure of axis drive mechanisms.
• Precision ground ballscrews. Some machines rely on rack and pinion or even belt drive mechanisms. Both of these approaches are cheaper than a quality ballscrew drive, and both can be significantly impacted by wear under normal use conditions that results in loss of accuracy and precision, and downtime.
• Reinforced frames made from thicker-gauge steel and structural members, using spreader bars, gussets and other stiffening components as required to resist deflection and vibration.
• Heavy-duty intensifier pumps designed for continuous operation at ultra-high pressures and provide incredible lifetime. Some manufactures have moved to utilizing direct-drive style pumps which are attractive due to lower cost. Unfortunately these systems have significantly more wear items requiring both more frequent and much more expensive maintenance intervention. In high-volume applications, this can become a show-stopper.
• Large volume UHP Attenuators within the intensifier pump – suitable designs reduce pressure spikes within the UHP water side of the pump as well as down stream components. The result is reduced maintenance requirements, lower cost of ownership and increased productivity.
• Advanced on-board diagnostics – these enable better insight into component status and provide insight into aging and potential future maintenance needs before failure.
• Hydraulic Accumulator – like the attenuator, this reduces the impact of pressure spikes within the hydraulic circuit, reducing maintenance requirements and increasing reliability.
• Properly pressure-rated UHP tubing meeting ASME pressure piping codes to meet or exceed expected operating pressures.
• Industrial hydraulics designed for continuous operation are characterized by larger diameter tubing, robust fittings and components, and conservative design that follow appropriate standards such as ISO 4413.
• Triple-layer slat support system – ensures much greater rigidity and durability for equipment compared to the more common 2-layer systems used by those looking to cut system cost.

If a water jet cutting system checks all these boxes, it qualifies as an industrial-grade design, capable of 24/7 continuous operation.

Why Durability Alone Isn't Enough

Even the toughest machine won’t deliver high-volume output continuously and reliably if:

• It sits idle – thoroughbreds are designed to run, not sit by and let seals dry out, and hydraulic fluids get gunky.
• It requires constant operator intervention – a sure sign that the tool hasn’t received the proper maintenance attention.

High-Volume Insight: Durability gives you the ability to run, while your operational processes determine how efficiently (and reliably) you run.

High Volume is Engineered, Not Assumed

The bottom line is that high-volume production and continuous operation don’t just happen. They are the result of meticulous engineering, manufacturing, installation, configuration, operation, and maintenance. It’s engineered, not assumed.

Get the four pillars of optimal configuration, industrial-grade durability, process automation, and diligent maintenance, combining on-site and structured OEM support, and you’ll turn your cutting system into a high-volume powerhouse.

Want to learn more about the four pillars? We’re ready to help. Contact us online or call today at 1-800-538-3343 (US) or +1-763-497-8700 (Internationally). We look forward to helping you.

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