Page 28 - MetalForming March 2013

The Quest for Q5
Tip 5: Use Diamond Orifices, and Monitor Orifices,
Nozzles and Mixing Chambers
For consistent high-quality cuts, quality diamond orifices are a waterjet operator’s best friend. According to DTI’s Jessica Van Hatcher, diamond orifices offer numerous benefits over other alternatives: consumable parts last longer, cut speeds increase, and metalformers will experience fewer
unexpected shutdowns or interrupted cuts, lower scrap rates and improved edge quality.
For these reasons, Pegasus North- west uses diamond orifices exclusively. This gives the fabricator an edge over its competitors, says Pavlov, as it demon- strates a commitment to quality.
“Diamond orifices last longer than any other gem,” he notes, “and they don’t grow out of tolerance as quickly as other
orifices—ruby orifices, for example.” Van Hatcher maintains that quality orifices are essential to a waterjet shop’s
reputation.
“Users of waterjet-cutting machines
shouldn’t risk their capital-equipment investments and their company’s rep- utation by using cheap, unreliable ori- fices,” she says.
Van Hatcher explains that a dia- mond’s hardness gives it a distinctive edge over other alternatives such as corundum, otherwise known as ruby and sapphire. She notes that ruby and sapphire are made from the same material; a trace of chromium causes the ruby’s red pigment.
“Because diamond is the hardest material known on earth, waterjet operators can rest assured that their diamond orifice will maintain its inter- nal geometry for hundreds, even thou- sands of hours, and consistently pro- vide predictable, efficient cutting,” Van Hatcher says. “Orifices made from corundum slowly erode internally and externally, so that the waterjet degrades and the jewel eventually becomes use- less. Further, due to its atomic nature, the wear pattern and life of a corundum orifice proves unpredictable.
“Unpredictability means that the orifice may fail within seconds of installing it, or in the middle of an important cut,” continues Van Hatcher. “Diamond orifices allow users to spend their time operating their waterjet sys- tems, rather than maintaining them.”
Of course, not all diamond orifices are the same.
“A common misconception is that all diamond products are of equal qual- ity,” Van Hatcher notes. “In actuality, poor-quality diamond orifices typical- ly contain sharp edges that result in localized stress (stress risers) at each sharp corner. If not removed, these stress risers can lead to failure when concentrated stress exceeds the mate- rial’s cohesive strength.”
Premature failure is also frequent- ly attributed to poor mounting pro- cedures and materials, Van Hatcher continues.
“To identify a lesser-quality diamond
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Take advantage of SmartPAC 2’s built-in Ethernet connectivity to communicate over your network. Send and receive text messages, display setup sheets stored on a central server, back up your tools to a remote location, and view pressroom status over the network and Internet. When you connect your equipment to SFC, you can collect production data, feed critical parameters to business software, generate production
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For additional information call us at 800-586-8324 (US and Canada), 978-268-2700,
or visit us at www.Wintriss.com for SmartPAC 2 and at www.ShopFloorConnect.com.
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