Waterjet cutting aluminum – Aluminum is a very common material for all kinds of products, both for applications in many manufacturing industries like aerospace, automotive, and in consumer goods.
Aluminum’s unique properties, like a high strength-to-weight ratio, mean that aluminum is often used for structural and architectural applications, aerospace components, automotive parts, and much more.
You probably have aluminum near you right now, especially since it is an important material for building electronic device parts like mobile phones and laptops. This makes aluminum production and processing a very big industry, meaning there are a lot of options when it comes to cutting aluminum parts.
But not all cutting and machining methods are equal. Cold cutting with micro abrasive waterjet cutting offers exceptional cutting speeds and high precision for fine details without imparting thermal stresses onto the aluminum. This article will show you why micro waterjet is the best process for cutting aluminum sheets, plates, and molded parts, both in terms of finished part quality and production cost.
7 Benefits of Aluminum Waterjet Cutting Process
In the following we have provided a brief explanation on why Waterjet Cutting Aluminum is the ideal cutting process, and provides the highest level of production capabilities, precision, cutting speed, and surface quality in one single pass.
The cutting jet produced by high-pressure micro waterjet machines is extremely narrow, which leads to precise cuts with tolerances as low as ± 0.01 mm (±0.005″). There are very few other cutting processes that can achieve such high accuracy in aluminum cutting.
Thanks to a very small kerf width (down to 200 microns), highly exact movements, and intelligent software, micro abrasive waterjet machines can easily cut complex shapes and fine features into aluminum and other materials. And with the option to use up to 5 axes of movement, you can produce even more intricate shapes.
Learn more about Finepart 5 axis waterjet
All cutting and machining methods leave a distinct “fingerprint” behind based on the effect they have on the metal. For example, cutting with a bandsaw or machining with a lathe leaves distinct tooling marks across the cut surface.
The same is true of thermal cutting processes, like most laser cutting and wire EDM tools, which create a heat-affected zone (HAZ) and an oxidized recast layer as a result of rapid heating and cooling of the aluminum.
Traditional waterjet machines are known for leaving behind micro-particles of abrasive material embedded into the cut surface.
Micro abrasive waterjets offer a much higher surface finish than traditional waterjet and other methods. The surface and edge quality that Finepart micro abrasive waterjet machines deliver is generally only surpassed by W-EDM and femtosecond laser cutting. However, a femtosecond laser is only suitable for very thin materials, and W-EDM has a slower rate of material removal and difficulties reproducing sharp precise corners.
Micro abrasive waterjet vs femtosecond laser >>
As long as a fine garnet is used, micro waterjet CNC machines can produce cuts that are free from burrs and have an exceptional edge quality, even in a single pass.
One of the advantages of a micro abrasive waterjet machine is that it can cut stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, brass, titanium, nitinol, composites, and virtually any material.
Learn more on materials a micro waterjet can cut
Overall, cold cutting through the use of waterjet technology is preferred because it doesn’t induce thermal stress on aluminum products.
Aluminum is very ductile and becomes even more so when heated. For unsupported segments, the high heat input from processes like CNC milling can soften the aluminum, causing it to become distorted. In parts like square and rectangular tubing, for example, this could cause the walls of the tubing to droop inwards or bend as a result of clamping forces.
Another element of distortion can come from the above-average thermal expansion of aluminum workpieces, which can complicate cutting and make it so that, once the parts cool and contract, they no longer meet tolerance requirements.
The final consideration for avoiding thermally stressing aluminum is the formation of a heat affected zone (HAZ) and recasting later in the cut area. Aside from its impact on the metal’s appearance, the rapid heating and cooling of aluminum in this way can lead to the formation of microcracks. When subject to mechanical stress, these cracks can expand and ultimately cause the part to fail in service.
Thanks in part to micro waterjet’s high penetration while maintaining accuracy, it can perform cuts in a single pass while still retaining outstanding edge cut finish.
Micro abrasive waterjet cutters can often outpace other processing methods, even while cutting very fine details. You can even stack sheets of thin material together to multiply your productivity. The faster processing times offered by micro waterjets are an excellent way to reduce manufacturing production costs.
Examples of Micro Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Aluminum
Types of Aluminum Waterjet Can Cut
There are no limitations to what type of aluminum you can cut using a micro abrasive waterjet cutting process or conventional waterjet. You can cut any aluminum plate grade or cast aluminum product using a micro abrasive waterjet.
Applications of Waterjet Cutting Aluminum in the Manufacturing Industry
Waterjet is widely used for aluminum cutting applications across many industries, both in large, medium, and small-sized parts, with requirements of various needs for complex cutting, and precision cutting with tight tolerances.
Because of its high durability, light weight, and ability to retain strength despite dents and scratches, aluminum remains a popular material for many use cases, including:
- Consumer electronics and appliances, like laptops, phones, refrigerators, and laundry machines.
- Aerospace components for missiles, aircraft, and space-bound equipment
- Automotive parts, like wheels, vehicle bodies, transmissions, and engine components
- Construction and architectural elements, like siding, roofing, railings, and window frames
- Furniture, like table frames, chairs, and desks.
- Art and decor pieces
- Consumer products, like kitchen utensils and cookware
Choosing the Best Micro Waterjet For Your Needs
To find out which micro waterjet system will fit your requirements best, you should make your decision based on the following factors:
Water pressure
Water pressure is a critical factor for determining a waterjet machine’s capabilities. Being able to achieve higher water pressures and maintain a smooth pressure profile translates into more penetrative ability, for processing thicker materials, and faster cutting speeds, which reduces production costs and increases productivity.
The Finepart intensifier pump will provide you with ample water pressure to cut any material thickness up to 30 mm. (1.18″) and beyond.
Waterjet options & upgrades
Finepart offers an assortment of options for upgrading your Finepart micro abrasive waterjet machines, from a high-frequency spindle add-on for drilling and milling to 5-axis manipulators for added cutting versatility.
You can add any of these upgrades to our waterjet cutting machines so that you can customize the cutting equipment to meet your unique needs and specifications.
Waterjet software
All Finepart micro abrasive waterjet machines come with a CAD/CAM software that you can operate on a computer and a complete computerized waterjet operating system and operating panel. The Human Machine Interface software is highly intuitive, without the need for CNC waterjet coding experience, and helps you to cut high quality parts without the need for manual intervention.
Cutting axes
Your cutting needs will determine the versatility you need from your waterjet machine. Finepart offers 3 axis, 4 axis, and 5-axis micro abrasive waterjet machines to meet the needs of all our customers, whether you need to high precision cutting, cut simple 2D shapes or complex 3D parts. There is always a Finepart machine that fits your specific needs.
When considering all critical factors, Finepart micro abrasive waterjet machines provide you with cutting-edge solutions to satisfy any of your micro cutting needs.
Finepart micro abrasive waterjet machines have all the features you need for 2D and 3D cutting of parts in materials thinner than 30 mm (1.18″) plus, you can add any of our options to upgrade any waterjet machine to achieve top specifications, which means you can easily find a Finepart machine to fit your budget and production needs.
BEYOND CUTTING EDGE
Finecut Micro Waterjet Series
3 axis, 4 axis, and 5 axis micro abrasive waterjet series, the perfect choice for cutting aluminium and any other material.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and as it stands today waterjet cutting is the absolute best way to achieve ultimate precision and high-quality edge and surface results when cutting aluminum.
Aluminum micro abrasive waterjet cutting involves a cutting head that emits a ultra thin high-pressure water jet stream (0.2mm – 0.5mm, 0.008″-0.002″), mixed with abrasives, and focused on the material that you are cutting.
When cutting aluminum, an abrasive waterjet cutting process is used. This uses an abrasive material added to the waterjet stream to make metal cutting more accurate, faster and easier.
Thermal stress from rapid heating and cooling is one of the key triggers for crack formation and expansion. While this can occur with some other cutting and machining processes, it does not happen when cutting aluminum with an abrasive waterjet.
It should be noted that crack formation from the high-pressure water stream can occur in other common materials, like glass, if they are hard and brittle enough, but this can usually be avoided by optimizing the cutting parameters. Plus aluminum’s high ductility makes it extremely resistant to brittle failure or cracking from the abrasive waterjet cutting process.
Depending on the alloy being cut and the thickness of the material to be cut, the micro waterjet may need pressures anywhere between 3,000 and 4,000 bars. Aluminum can be cut at even lower pressure but at slower feed rate. Finepart waterjet systems can work with water pressure up to 4000 bars.