BEYOND CUTTING EDGE
Micro Abrasive Waterjet – “Like a Wireless EDM”™
1. Chip Plate
This part demonstrates the ability to cut fine strands in copper and copper alloys. Such geometries can be challenging to cut with lasers due to reflection and the lack of heat dissipation in thin material sections. Localized high temperatures can cause distortion or even melting, whereas the non-thermal Finecut technology provides excellent quality.
4. Nitinol Vascular Clip
This Nitinol medical clip is designed for laparoscopic surgery. The sample demonstrates cutting in an advanced engineered material that is highly sensitive to heat and difficult to machine. The part is cut to a +/- 10 µm tolerance and features spring elements just 100 µm wide. This type of material where cold cutting is important not to alter the material properties is a key advantage for Finecut technology.
5. Stainless Steel Medical Flexure
This geometry has historically been used by Finecut to demonstrate how minute, complex geometries can be managed by the Finecut process. Originally cut in magnesium for a biodegradable implant, the part was later miniaturized to showcase the machine’s unique precision capabilities. Pictures of this cutting process have become something of a brand image for Finecut.
6. Stainless Steel Milled Slot
While Finecut technology excels at precise cutting, it can also remove material with controlled depth. In this case, the part was intended to be milled with a small endmill to create a de-gassing slot. As depth tolerance wasn’t critical, this function was quickly accomplished in the same setup using abrasive waterjet milling. Depth can be adjusted by controlling the jet’s exposure time.
Video coming soon
10. Carbon Fiber Star
The featured CFRP star geometry was initially intended as an intarsia inlay in musical instruments, with the FAW200 enabling sharp inner corners and a tight fit. This part exemplifies the fine features and excellent surfaces achieved in CFRP with micro abrasive waterjets. Traditional machining of CFRP often causes melting of the polymer matrix and fiber tear-out, requiring further polishing. MAW cuts CFRP quickly, often allowing for net-shape machining without additional processing.
Video coming soon
11. Titanium Bike
Many cutting machine manufacturers present a bike sample, and the Finecut bike has garnered significant attention due to its small size and fine 200-µm-wide features. It has even been featured on the cover of Commercial Micro Manufacturing Magazine. Titanium cutting is particularly eye-catching as it emits sparks when the virgin titanium reacts with oxygen in the air. In fact, Finecut was also featured on the cover of SME’s Manufacturing Engineering publication, showcasing a sparkling close-up of micro-cutting titanium.
Video coming soon
12. Alumina Guide Piece
Engineering ceramics are challenging to machine, and only a few are electrically conductive enough for precision machining by WEDM. The Finecut process can create miniature features too small for grinding pins. Compared to grinding or ultrasonic machining, Finecut offers quick and efficient part manufacturing.
13. Turbine
This small turbine is a classic 5 axis display part. It shows the capabilities of the Finecut 5X type ABX. The part is cut from aluminium sheet and exhibits a smooths motion in with nozzle tilts up to 15 degrees angle cutting in both A and B axis. The center hole is conical. The included CADCAM makes programming easy, from marking up top and bottom contour. In general, parts with slanted surface make micro abrasive waterjet extra competitive compared to WEDM as such geometry does not allow stacking.
Video coming soon
14. Stent sample
This stent sample indicate a capability of miniature tube cutting produced by our micro-A-axis. It is an example on how micro abrasive waterjet tube cutting can be effectuated by using a steel rod as sacrificial material. The geometry is produced by controlled depth milling through the tube walls into the rod effectively cutting the tube without damage to the interior.