If you’re reading this blog post, it's likely that you're already aware of the versatility of a water jet cutting system in a machining operation. These tools can cut almost any material you or your clients require with unmatched precision and first-cut edge quality. Understanding how the type and quality of your consumables influence cutting costs and component life is crucial for making informed decisions and optimizing your operations.
So, what’s this post about? It's a practical guide to water jet system consumables, providing you with tips on how to reduce your operating expenses and optimize your cutting operations.
Every cutting technology relies on consumables to perform its operation. For the sake of this post, we are defining consumables using an Oxford Reference: “materials that are used in a production process that, unlike direct materials, do not form part of the direct cost of sales”. Examples are cooling fluid for production machinery, cutting inserts, and grinding discs.
The major direct consumables for abrasive cutting systems include:
There are many factors that contribute to the costs of consumables and thus the cost of operating your system. Let's take a look at some of the major ones.
In some regions, water supply is taken for granted. In others, not so much. A reliable water supply, as we use it in this context, means having confidence that you will have enough water from your supply source to run your system without interruption. Water use restrictions directly affect the "reliability" of your water supply by imposing usage limits and/or high utility costs from your municipal water utility. Water use restrictions are an increasingly common issue in parts of the United States hit by severe and prolonged droughts.
Water jet cutting systems require large amounts of water. The volume of water consumed and its cost varies based on application, water source, and geographic location. Most systems rely on a continuous incoming process water stream flowing through the cutting head to make cuts. The continuous water flow feeds into the catch tank and is drained off via an overflow drain. We refer to this as an “open loop system.” Most users simply discharge the excess water directly into the city sewage or drainage system. These open-loop systems incur higher utility costs but avoid the capital cost of water recycling.
Closed-loop systems, often referred to as closed loop filtration systems or closed loop water jet recycling systems, reduce total water consumption by recirculating the process water rather than continually discharging it to a drain. Along with an environmental benefit, recycling water is often required by law in areas with water use or wastewater disposal restrictions.
Garnet is a naturally occurring crystallized aluminum or calcium silicate mineral captured in igneous and metamorphic rocks. As it is mined and collected garnet is crushed into finer grains. The key attributes used to distinguish the different types of garnet are mesh grade, purity, and particle size consistency.
Mesh grade is essentially a size rating of the individual pieces of garnet. The higher the mesh grade, the finer (smaller) the garnet abrasive is and vice versa with 80 mesh being the most common size in water jet cutting. The abrasive orifice and abrasive nozzle ID (inner diameter) size combination will dictate the mesh size limits.
Higher purity and consistent particle size typically means added processing time to sort out non-garnet products and double sifting to ensure more uniform size thus increasing the cost of the garnet. Given the higher price they do deliver superior cutting results and reduce other operating costs created by clogged nozzles and/or removing foreign debris that was left in the garnet during processing.
We will train your staff to manage all the aspects of keeping your Jet Edge cutting system running smoothly and efficiently. We offer both video-on-demand and live options.
Cutting speed combined with garnet flow rates will determine the cost per inch of a cut. We believe that the best strategy suggests starting with the largest garnet mesh size recommended for a particular nozzle, the highest PSI pump pressure, and then balancing the garnet flow rate with the cut speed to dial in garnet usage that results in the best cutting quality at the optimal cost.
For more information on garnet, check out our blogs: How to Optimize Garnet Use in Water Jet Cutting and Choosing the Right Garnet.
Saphire and ruby orifices are less expensive and may deliver the cut quality required in many instances. It’s important when comparing the performance of the more affordable orifices with the more expensive tetracore and diamond orifices that you choose the orifice that fits your specific application. Factors and requirements such as quality, speed, and volume all factor into making a smart financial decision. Most OEM’s, including Jet Edge, offer quantity discounting and other incentives to reduce the cost of consumables over the life of your system.
Abrasive nozzles work in conjunction with the orifice by “focusing” the water/abrasive mix at the cutting surface. If higher-precision cutting is required, a 4-inch nozzle is recommended. As is the case with abrasive orifices, over time, the nozzle inner diameter (ID) will begin to grow creating a wider spray pattern that will impact the finish quality of a part and require replacement.
Use your cutting requirements with regards to quality, speed, and volume in order to perform a cost comparison when selecting your nozzle. Most OEM’s, including Jet Edge, offer quantity discounting and other incentives to reduce the cost of consumables throughout the life of your machine.
For more information on choosing the right nozzle orifice combo, check out our blog: How to Choose the Right Nozzle Orifice Combo for Your Water Jet Machine
One of the easiest ways you can extend the life of your consumables is through the use of a short stop filter.
Component wear and tear are unavoidable when operating a water jet cutting system. The quality of your consumables directly impacts your first-cut precision and when properly selected, can reduce tool downtime for maintenance and/or parts replacement. Understanding the sources and signs of wear as well as being prepared to address them can help you anticipate and reduce unscheduled downtime. Anticipating and projecting future needs is essential to reducing run costs by taking advantage of bulk purchasing.
Spending a bit more for quality consumables will reduce your per-part-cutting costs in the long run, and here are a couple of examples:
How does paying more for quality consumables reduce costs? Simple, going with quality products results in:
How you use and maintain your water jet cutting tools determines, to a great extent, how well you minimize your consumable costs and maximize component lifespans. Here are five best practices that will go a long way toward helping you balance the (consumables quality + cut quality + component wear) = profit) equation in your favor.
Another way to manage consumable and operational costs while reducing your operation’s environmental impact includes implementing sustainable cutting practices. Here are four practices for your consideration.
Water recycling: Consider investing in a closed-loop water system. These reduce your water consumption, which is an important consideration when you operate in a restricted water use area. It also reduces discharge into streams or rivers (an environmental plus) or your municipal waste system, reducing that cost.
Abrasive recycling: Capturing, cleaning, and reusing your abrasive materials is a terrific sustainability and cost management practice. When you “feed” your abrasive recovery system with high-quality garnet, you can reuse the abrasive many times. Reusing abrasives reduces the amount of material going to a landfill and the associated expense.
Energy efficiency: Where the options exist, invest in high-efficiency pumps and motors. Also, consider implementing a lights-out cutting schedule where you run your system after hours. The cost of electricity is lower, as is the facility's overall energy use.
Reduce material scrap and waste: Nested cutting is a terrific way to maximize stock utilization and is available in advanced cutting software like the IGEMS package we use.
Like everything else, technology continues to change in the water jet industry, and some exciting things are in the works. To whet your appetite, here are a few of our favorites:
Abrasives: New materials are under study that will allow faster cutting speeds and longer nozzle life. Eco-friendly options are being looked at, and micro-abrasive machining capabilities are emerging, promising even greater precision, particularly in the electronics and medical device fields.
Reducing component wear: The focus here is on new nozzle materials like carbide and advanced ceramics, while advanced coatings for nozzles and wearing surfaces are being tested to improve component durability.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): You knew AI would be on the list, and it is, with AI tools being developed for predictive maintenance on your equipment and optimizing cutting paths in real-time for maximum material use and providing enhanced cut control.
Industry 4.0 capabilities: This strikes us as AI’s older sibling, where water jet cutting systems integrate with facility-wide Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and the Internet of Things (IoT). Widely distributed sensors and controls will enable water jets to be monitored, managed, and operated remotely.
Robotics: Let’s see, AI, Industry 4.0 — what’s missing? Robots, of course. Robots have been used industrially for decades. In the cutting industry, robotic arms promise to improve precision further, allowing for the most complex cuts imaginable. They could also enable companies to machine hazardous materials or allow operations in dangerous environments.
This guide lays the foundation for perfecting the balance between consumable costs and component wear, leading to a more profitable operation. If you have questions about anything we’ve covered or want to learn more about anything water jet systems, get in touch today. Fill out our contact form, or call the US toll-free: 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343). International callers can reach us at +1-763-497-8700.
Since 1984, Jet Edge has been designing and manufacturing Ultra-High-Pressure Water jet technology that doesn't back down. Our systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries from the world's leading airlines, to automotive, aerospace and industrial manufacturers, and machine job shops.
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