How to Maintain a Clean Working Environment Despite Fabricating with a Water Jet Cutting Machine?

For metal fabricating companies, it’s important to have a free-flowing workplace. Each item they make use of, including tools, is conveniently kept within an organized space. Clean floors represent a reduced risk of tripping or slipping. 

cutting machine

Clean flooring is less likely to cause a slip or trip. Additionally, cleanliness can be used as a sales strategy to attract customers looking for a modern and dependable metal fabrication services supplier.

The motivations are obvious and straightforward. But the difficulties are just as clear too, especially if the metal fabricator company is relying solely on their use of waterjet machines. 

Everyone understands the significance and benefits of waterjet cutting. It is suitable for slicing and cutting heat-sensitive materials, hence mitigating the pitfalls of introducing material stresses associated with thermal metal cutting. Alongside metal, it can also handle the  cutting and slicing of a wide variety of materials, including glass and rubber. With  a repeatability of 0.001 in. and an accuracy level of 0.005 in. over the whole workpiece, it shouldn’t be doubted why it became a sought after technique in the metal fabrication sphere. 

However, it could be a time-consuming process. When abrasive material in powder form comes into contact with water, it quickly forms “muck”. Sometimes, it can escape the cutting process and finds its way outside the tank.

If water and abrasive dust escape from the tank, it will, of course, naturally settle on any nearby objects including surrounding floors. This is one of the biggest reasons why some fabricators veer away from water jet cutting machine activities and instead maintain their preference for laser cutting equipment and high-end press brakes.

The following tips will help you maintain a clean waterjet cutting environment so you can transform it from being just a work area into a showroom quality of space. 

Shield Your Tank

When you use a waterjet to slice and cut metal, chances are water will be sprayed back at you. The jet could strike the top slats and induce the kickback, or it could strike the bottom slats and produce a huge amount of turbulence, blasting some water well over the tank’s edges.

Generally, tank shields are 2 to 3 feet high. They are affixed to the sidewalls of a tank to help in keeping the water spray contained inside it. 

Usually, shields are constructed from translucent plastic materials, such as LexanTM, but if you are opting for something more cost-effective, metal shielding is what you’re looking for. Tank shields can be purchased or you can have them custom-made instead. 

Cut Your Pieces Underwater

Underwater cutting is an excellent approach to minimize the area of your work and maintain the procedure neat and tidy. 

A considerable amount of material is produced when the machine is running, but not while it is operating. Underwater slicing and cutting of your material will also mitigate the production of noise.  

Seasoned waterjet operators are probably more interested in the cutting process. Usually, what they want is to witness the cutting action as it unfolds. A job program that is strong guarantees there is nothing to worry about concerns such as tip-ups. Therefore, it is most advisable to cut underwater only if you have a solid job program. 

If Possible, Just Use Water to the Cut

Abrasive water jet cutting machineS is generally recommended when working on sheet metal operations. However, if you’re not using abrasive-containing materials, it takes away possible concerns about dust or muck.

It is also more beneficial in such a way that it helps reduce the number of required abrasives, which is advantageous on your part if you are on a budget.

Wrapping Up!

A job can also be reconfigured to begin cuts on the material’s edge. This significantly helps in avoiding the splash that occurs with the piercing of the material in its centre. 

The programmer might also direct the waterjet to cut consistently on a piece of a plate or metal sheet, eliminating the start and stops that whip up the water, inducing in the process a greater kick-back.