Australia is the smallest continent, yet one of the biggest countries between the Pacific and the Indian oceans. It is globally famous for its natural wonders of wide-open spaces, beaches and deserts. With these overflowing natural resources, one of the country’s thriving industries is Manufacturing; it takes up almost 40% of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Manufacturers are now trying out cheaper alternatives like water jet cutting for their production.
At present, water jets in Australia are slowly gaining popularity because of their efficiency in rendering cutting jobs compared to any traditional way.
Here are five facts you need to know about Waterjet cutting:
- It’s an old technique that just gained popularity
Back in the 1800s water jets were used by mining companies to remove or blast off dirt and debris. But today, it has made its debut into the manufacturing industry in many countries. It has undergone several innovations and achieved extreme precision in terms of cutting.
- It only emits one gallon of water per minute
When you imagine a cutting method that uses water, you’ll think it wastes a lot of water. But no, a garden hose consumes eight times more water than a waterjet’s minimum water usage; based on these figures, waterjets’ water consumption is relatively lower.
- Accuracy
A huge reason why waterjet cutting is slowly entering the manufacturing scene is that it can render accurate cutting results. It can render sharp corners easily with an expert accuracy of 0.001 inches. How cool is that?
- Pressure power
The Average or minimum pressure of a normal waterjet machine produces an estimated 700 pounds per square inch. It can produce up to 1600 PSI for much-advanced waterjet machines, which is enough to blast and cut through any hard surface.
- Versatility
It can cut almost everything with minimal exceptions such as diamonds and a specific kind of glass. But other than that, you will have no problems at all.
Water jets are offered by a lot of engineering companies around Australia. This method of cutting for 2D shapes is relatively cheaper compared to the traditional way. It is a unique process that gives good results even with the first finishing. So, this is budget-friendly for a small manufacturing company, as it saves time and money from second finishing; it does not damage or distort materials that are vulnerable or sensitive to high heat.
Do you want to invest in a waterjet machine?
If yes, here are things you need to know about water jets before buying one:
- It’s messy
Like every industrial tool, you need space to set up your machine. It uses an abrasive media called Garnet mixed with the water’s high pressure.
- It’s easy to use
You just need to position the material on the table, place the nozzle and start the cut. But you still need the training to be able to manoeuvre this machine expertly as it’s not as easy as a sewing machine!
- It’s expensive
At first glance, it can be really expensive. But this machine is a long-term investment that saves you a lot of manufacturing costs. It has no tooling costs, and no need for secondary finishing.
Conclusion
The emergence of suppliers who provide water jets in australia offers a great opportunity for medium to small scale manufacturing businesses to achieve the utmost accuracy for their products and lessen their manufacturing costs. It is the best alternative for those who are on a tight budget but still want to have satisfactory results.
