Page 28 - MetalForming May 2019

Waterjets:
Waterjet cutting machines offer job shops of all sizes flexibility in material use and performance in accuracy and repeatability when producing aftermarket parts for high-performance motorcycles.
FABRICATION
Much Needed Flexibility for Aftermarket Work
Abrasive waterjet cutting shines on job-shop production of complex parts where traditional cutting processes and tools would erode profitability.
cutting tools. Abrasive waterjets can cut everything from Plexiglas to tita- nium and beyond—without requiring cost-prohibitive post-processing, and at speeds that outpace most other CNC tools when factoring in up- and down- stream time savings. For example, a part cut on a waterjet machine doesn’t need to cool off and often doesn’t require further finishing—a major time-saver for fast-moving custom products.
Ideal Option for Small Job Shops
Recent waterjet-technology advance- ments enable use of these machines even in the smallest job shops. At Dun- phy’s Cycles Machining LLC, Mukilteo, WA, for example, floor-space constraints
For small job shops and major manufacturers alike, turning around custom or nonstandard automotive components on a contract basis requires a significant level of process agility and flexibility to get parts programmed, cut and out the door. These shops also see quality as a crucial element of success. Whether aftermarket shift linkages and floor boards for motorcycles, or state-of- the-art professional racing compo-
nents, custom products improve upon already high-quality products, and demand remains high. To produce these high-quality parts in the most efficient, cost-effective manner, abra- sive waterjet cutting machines repre- sent ideal solutions.
This is particularly true where more and more automotive parts are pro- duced with state-of-the-art materials that are time-consuming, if not impos- sible, to machine with conventional
26 MetalForming/May 2019
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