5 axis abrasive waterjet project

[Lesh]

I am building a couple of Abrasive waterjets one of which will be 5 axis omni head.

I am going to use a Pick n Place overhead gantry robot for the motion and I am looking for information on a cutting head configuration allowing the two axis omni head. I have seen a few web sites that have achieved this, but still a bit confused on how they have done it with the hard piping, dump valve and feed for the abrasive.

Also, is there any 5 axis pc base software to control waterjets?

[DennisCNC]

If you are talking about a tapper compesating 5 axis then the A and B axis move very little. If you had the UHP line like a whip over the machine it will work fine. But if you are talking about a full blow up and over around the corner overhang cutter (like a real 5 axis router) then maybe a FAT hydraulic hose will work

[keithorr]

Do you mean the head will swivel in two axis? Or a trunion holding a workpiece? If the head moves around much, the stream will be going all over. Good way to poke a hole in something by accident.
2¢

[Lesh]

Yes two axis head mounted on the end of the z axis.

Flow Corporation and a couple of others have been doing it since 1995 but I am hoping someone has experemented outside OEM.

I dont have a problem containing the water stream shooting all over the place. An enclosure will sort that out.

The whole installation will be 6 meters wide by 50 meters long. budget is $1.2 million Australian

[Ron22]

I have seen and worked on a few "true" 5 axis water jets.
There seems to be two common ways to do the high pressure to the cutting head. (swivels and coils) A coils is basicly just a length of high pressure line that is coiled about 6 inch in dia. there needs to be many "coils". It is kind of like a bing spring. When the head turns one way the coil gets tighter when it goes the other way it just unwinds a little.
Swivels are just a high presure swivel.
There is also some high pressure flexible line (depending on pressure) in the USA I belive BuTech make some. I have never used it, it is very limited in the amount of flex it can do.
Coils can be hard to make. Swivels are expensive. Both will blow and need to be replaced.
I have never seen a real good way to do the abrasive line. Usally just kind of hangs there and wraps around.

[joseph2851990]

hello there, i am in charge of designing a 5 axis waterjet in my company in lebanon, i was wondering if someone could help me a little. i need to know about the things i should be careful about in this machine. what are the machine problems ? what is the best mechanical design for the machine ? i need all the help i could get
and about the machine problems is there any problem other the high pressure on the head...

[cncJETeam]

hi new state machine operator Waterjet ..Looking for discussion and Service parts.............and people for discussion........ problems and solutions for this jet.... Machine Operator CNC -WATERJET......processing granite marble
CNC Bavelloni 5axis WaterJET /cms tecknocut 5axis