World of Waterjets: Precision Cuts in a Variety of Sheet Sizes

This full line service center needed to reduce its turnaround times on precision alloy cutting. A new state-of-the-art waterjet cutting system not only cut the lead times, it expanded the center’s capabilities as well.

Penn Stainless Products (Quakertown, PA) is a full line supplier and processor of stainless steel sheet, plate, bar, structural, pipe and tubular products. Penn serves domestic and international customers in stainless, high-temperature, corrosion, Duplex and PH alloys. Besides leveling, Penn Stainless offers extensive cutting services, including:  plate shearing, sheet shearing, plasma, HQ plasma, laser and waterjet, as well as machine, saw and Amada production cutting.

The shop recently installed their fourth waterjet, a Mach 3 Dynamic Waterjet System from Flow International Corporation (Kent, WA). This system features Dynamic Waterjet^® technology and a cutting area of 288 in x 78 in, allowing Penn Stainless to make fast, precision cuts in a variety of sheet sizes.

The Mach 3 uses a HyperJet^® pump rated at 94,000 psi, as opposed to conventional systems rated at 60,000 psi. Because of the increased cutting speed, up to 45 percent faster than conventional waterjets, parts are cut faster and production runs are shorter. The traverse speed of the new waterjet at Penn Stainless is rated at up to 500 ipm and cut speed up to 300 ipm, as determined by the material, its thickness, and the edge quality desired. Linear straightness accuracy of the X and Y is 0.0015 in per 3 ft. X and Y repeatability are ±0.002 in.

To ensure accuracy at the system’s high cutting speeds, the system employs Dynamic Waterjet^® technology, an advanced motion system that assures accurate cutting by eliminating the inside corner washout and taper produced by traditional abrasive waterjet systems. Rather than slow down cutting speed to maintain precision, the Dynamic Waterjet system tilts the cutting head to the side to eliminate taper and tilts it forward to control the stream. As a result, parts are produced two to four times faster than on a conventional waterjet with part tolerances to ±0.001 in. Using Dynamic Waterjet significantly impacts the quality of the cut part, often eliminating secondary processing completely.

According to Jim Seward, president of Penn Stainless, “We are very pleased to have installed our fourth waterjet. This new waterjet system further expands our capabilities to offer customers a wider variety of precision alloy cutting options while maintaining, or even reducing, our expected quick turnaround times.”

Penn Stainless Products, 190 Kelly Road, Quakertown PA 18951, 215-536-3053, Fax: 215-536-3255, [email protected], www.pennstainless.com.

Flow International Corporation, 23500 64th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032, 253-850-3500, Fax: 253-813-9377, [email protected], www.flowwaterjet.com.