Page 35 - MetalForming June 2013

assemble several hundred compo- nents, primarily of mild and Type 4140 steel, as well as aluminum and other materials such as fiber felt and Delrin (a thermoplastic). Part thickness ranges from 0.250 to 1.5 in.; parts can be as smallas1by1by1in.oraslargeas8ft. wide by 36 ft. long.
Abrasive Waterjet Cutting at the Core
For processing many of its parts, WaneShear Technologies first con- sidered laser cutting. However, a machine capable of handling the shop’s range of material thicknesses, in particular 1.25-in.-thick aluminum, would have been very expensive—not to mention the challenge of cutting non-metallic materials. Enter abra- sive-waterjet cutting.
With an abrasive-waterjet system, the 12-person shop easily processes all of its metallic work, and other mate- rials. Additionally, its cutting machine (a JetMachining Center from Omax) helps reduce the amount of machining done on the shop’s conventional CNC machine tools. This allows WaneShear to streamline its welding and fabrica- tion operations and cost-effectively increase production of its lower- and higher-volume parts.
WaneShear’s Omax 120X-3 JetMa- chining Center features an x-y cutting travel of 40 by 10 ft. Its DualBridge setup is a configuration option that allows the addition of a second Y-bridge to boost efficiency and flexibility. The setup, which can be added to any new or existing JetMachining center, allows two Y-bridges to work independently, significantly increasing machine capac- ity. The bridges can be programmed to produce separate components or can work in tandem to cut one large part. The system also boosts machine- utilization rates, as cutting can be per- formed while materials are loaded and unloaded from the machine.
Because plate thicknesses vary day to day, WaneShear typically uses the DualBridge on its waterjet machine to simultaneously cut two different sheets/plates of material. For exam-
ple, while one bridge cuts parts from 1-in.-thick Type 4140 steel, which can take several hours, the machine’s sec- ond bridge works on other shorter-run parts. Or, one bridge will be used for cutting higher-volume parts and the other for different individual parts in batch sizes of one or two.
WaneShear also specified its cut- ting machine with the Omax 50-hp Dual Pump package, an integrated sys- tem that utilizes two P4055V pumps, designed for shops with high-capacity production demands to cut thick mate- rials and using multiple nozzles. Addi- tionally, the 120X-3 features Omax’s Collision Sensing Terrain Follower accessory that automatically adjusts the machine’s nozzles for collision avoidance; and the Tilt-A-Jet that elim- inates practically all taper along part cut walls. Tilt-A-Jet positions the cutting nozzle at an angle (± 9 deg. max.) cal- culated by the process software to off- set the taper from the abrasive waterjet. The taper then moves to the scrap, leaving part edges nice and square.
Cut Parts Ready for Assembly
According to Clark McGehee, most of the parts cut on its new machine are ready to be assembled—no need for secondary operations, a tremendous time saver.
“We have a well-equipped conven-
For tapped holes (top), the 120X-3, says Clark McGehee, WaneShear gen- eral manager, cuts holes to tolerances tight enough to allow tapping without having to be drilled to size. The shop then quickly and easily taps the holes
using a magnetic- base drill. Also, the speed and accuracy delivered by the waterjet-cutting machine allows WaneShear to design its parts with features that help streamline the shop’s welding operations. For exam- ple, mating parts (bottom) include waterjet-cut slots and keyways to enable quick and easy weld fitup.
tional machining department with advanced horizontal and vertical machining centers, as well as a multi- tasking machine,” he says. “However, the waterjet generates such smooth, straight finishes that the need for fin- ish-machining or secondary opera- tions has been eliminated for many of our parts. Also, the Tilt-A-Jet works great for producing square cuts. With the waterjet helping to eliminate sec- ondary machining operations, espe- cially when it comes to our thicker alu- minum parts, our conventional CNC machines become more readily avail- able to process the parts that can’t be cut on the waterjet. This eliminates having to farm out such machining work.”
Two examples where the waterjet- cutting machine eliminates subsequent machining operations involve parts needing flange bearings and those requiring tapped holes. WaneShear uses several piloted flange bearings in its edging system. Rather than flame- cut and bore the parts to prepare for the bearings, the shop accurately water- jet-cuts the required features to the size and straightness needed for insert- ing the bearings as the parts exit the waterjet machine. No additional machining is needed.
For tapped holes, the 120X-3, says McGehee, cuts holes to tolerances
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