ABRASIVE WATER JET CUTTING MACHINE

Data di pubblicazione

01-01-1970

Codice

ME.18.046.A

Stato

Licenza a Spin off

Data di priorità

10-04-2018

Fase

Italian

Titolare

Politecnico di Milano e WatAJet s.r.l.

Dipartimento

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Autori

Annoni Massimiliano e Viganò Francesco

Descrizione

The invention is an abrasive feed solution to an Abrasive Water Jet cutting head.

It is divided into:

- piston delivery system of the abrasive mixed with gel;

- injection system to the cutting head, with coaxial delivery of gel and air mixture, with separate control of the two flows;

- system for monitoring and checking the operating status of the cutting head by measuring and interpreting the pressure signal detected in the air side channel.

Fine abrasive powder for Abrasive Water Jet applications is mixed with water based gels. The mixture is delivered through a plastic cylinder-piston system, driven by a stepper motor, governed by elementary electronics and LabView routine on a PC. The feed tube connects the cylinder-piston system to the injection nozzle in the mixing chamber of the cutting head. The injection system is completed by a nozzle coaxial air duct and equipped with a valve to regulate the intake air flow from the cutting head due to the Venturi effect. The pressure signal from the sensor connected to the air circuit makes it possible to monitor the operating status of the cutting head during machining.

Campo di applicazione

<p>The invention is applied to Abrasive Water Jet technology, for cutting, milling and hydro-sandblasting, allowing the delivery of low abrasive mass flow rates, monitoring and control of the cutting head (enabling for micro applications).</p>

Vantaggi

<p>The invention:</p> <ol>• overcomes the problem of the hygroscopicity of dust thanks to the opposite approach that exploits a completely wet mixture;</ol> <ol>• allows the delivery of reduced flow rates, from 20 to less than 1 g / min depending on the engine speed and the size of the cylinder-piston system, as required by the micro applications;</ol> <ol>• allows direct control of the supply, without dependence on the intensity of suction caused by the Venturi effect;</ol> <ol>• allows the use of ultra-fine abrasives, which can not be dispensed by gravity and dry, reducing the roughness of the surface worked by the casting;</ol> <ol>• eliminates the risk of blockage of the cutting head due to the presence of dry abrasive deposited with the jet turned off;</ol> <ol>• allows the advance payment of the abrasive to process materials subject to delamination due to impact with pure water;</ol> <ol>• allows continuous monitoring of the operating conditions of the head, providing a prompt and representative measure.</ol>

Stadio di sviluppo

Laboratory prototype

Contatto

licensing.tto@polimi.it