Thin vs. thick materials
As FlowCut compensates for taper, it will tilt the cutting head more for thin materials than for thicker
materials. So for thicker materials, it is less critical that the material be perfectly flat to maintain the
designed part geometry. This allows for standoff to be increased to compensate for a warped material
surface. However, you should still avoid an excessively large standoff. If a large standoff is the only way
you can cut a heavily warped material, be aware that there is a fundamental limit to how accurately a
part can be produced.
Ensure fixtures are out of the path and clamp material tightly
Make sure that clamps or fixtures will be cleared by the wrist motors.
Ensure the material is held tightly in place during the cutting process. Unlike Standard Waterjet cutting,
a small side force is applied to the material being cut. This force—although small— can move the
material if it's not clamped tightly.
Residual stresses
Some materials can lift up from the catcher surface as their residual stresses are relieved during the
cutting process. In extreme cases, the material could touch the mixing tube tip. When you cut these
types of materials, make sure you set the appropriate standoff height or improve the part fixture to
minimize this effect.
© 2021 Flow International Corp.
Retrieved from Flow KB on April 13, 2021 PST
Cutting with Dynamic Waterjet
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