OMAX Tips and Tricks

Abrasive waterjet cutting (AWJ) machinery allows you to extend your cutting capabilities to include materials such as ceramics, composites, exotic alloys, glass, metal, rubber, leather, stone and wood.

To get the maximum out of your machine – here are some tips and tricks:

Highest Edge Quality for Decorative Material

 

 

 

 

 

 

To achieve a high edge quality when cutting decorative material, simply change the mesh size of your abrasive from the standard 80 mesh to either 120 mesh or 200 mesh. When doing so, remember to measure the abrasive flow rate and then adjust it in the software, as well as the mesh value – before cutting!
When changing back to 80 mesh, make sure to do change the values back to standard.

IntelliMax version 21

Did you know that the IntelliMax version 21 includes the brand new generation 4 cutting model to further improve cutting times and accuracy? Anything is possible – like cutting this complex tool die in 50mm thick 304 stainless steel!

 

A-Jet high angle fusible mixing tubes

The dynamics of the jet when tilted are different over a standard 3-axis cutting head – to handle those challenges, the high angle fusible mixing tube is what’s needed:

It comes in both 0.030″ and 0.042″ sizes, but unlike standard mixing tubes, the change in size here has significant differences. Due to the dynamics of the jet while maneuvering at angles, the wear on the mixing tubes can be greater. With the narrower 0.030″ mixing tube, this wear can be significant, greatly reducing the life of the mixing tube.

If you don’t need the narrower kerf width from the 0.030″ mixing tube, it is highly recommended to use the standard 0.042″ High Angle Fusible Mixing Tube with your A-Jet, as you can extend the life by 30% or more!

 

 

Chiller Temperature

Always ensure your chiller is set to the ideal temperature of 50°F/10°C.
Why is this important?

If the temperature is lower:
The exchanger might freeze up which will restrict the flow of water through the cooling circuit, resulting in insufficient cooling = premature seal wear.
If the temperature is higher:
The desired tooling temperature at the seal may not be maintained, again resulting in premature seal wear.

 

Bulk Hopper Air Pressure

or long cutting projects, having a bulk abrasive hopper is very useful as it constantly feeds abrasive into the 25lb hopper on the Y carriage. The Bulk Hopper operates by having a positive pressure set to push the abrasive through the system. If this pressure drops, the flow of abrasive can become intermittent, which can result in problems with edge quality on long cuts.

By setting a scheduled reminder in Intelli-VISOR, you can ensure your Bulk Hopper air pressure is set at the proper 45-50psi range. Alternatively, use your favorite reminder system. With regular verification of Bulk Hopper pressure, you won’t have to worry about running out of abrasive during that next big cut.

 

ON/OFF Valve Air Actuator Assembly O-Ring Lubrication

Loss of lubrication causes an increase in internal friction, increasing the resistance of the valve preventing it from shutting all the way under the set air pressure.

Therefore we recommended to inspect the o-rings on start-up and on a weekly basis and either lubricate or replace them as needed. Find out how this is done in seconds here.