Extremely fast setup and programming
No tool changes required, so there is no need to program tool changes or physically qualify multiple tools. For some systems, programming simply involves drawing the part. If you customer gives you that drawing on disk, half the battle is won.
This means that (for some machines) you can make good money off single part and low volume production!
Very little fixturing for most parts
Flat material can be positioned by laying it on the table and putting a couple of 10 lb weights on it. Tiny parts might require tabs, or other fixturing. At any rate, fixturing is typically not any big deal - though it is important to secure the material in the X, Y, and Z directions.
Machine virtually any 2D shape (and some 3D stuff)
Including tight inside radii, Make a carburetor flange with holes drilled and everything. Some exotic machines are capable of 3d machining, (robot arms, (x,y) machines with lathe axis, and (x,y)-(u,v) axis machines). (3D machining is especially tricky, however, due to issues regarding control of a "floppy tool". For this reason, 3D machining is reserved strictly for specialty applications.). In other words, abrasivejets are exceptional at 2D machining, but limited in 3D capability.
Very low side forces during the machining
This means you can machine a part with walls as thin as .01" (0.25 mm) without them blowing out. This is one of the factors that make fixturing is so easy. Also, low side forces allow for close nesting of parts, and maximum material usage.
Almost No heat generated on your part
Machine without hardening the material, generating poisonous fumes, recasting, or warping. You can machine parts that have already been heat treated with only a tiny, tiny decrease in speed. On piercing 2" (50mm) thick steel, temperatures may get as high as 120 degrees F (50 C), but otherwise machining is done at room temperature.
Aerospace companies use abrasivejets a lot because of this.
No start hole required
Wire EDM, eat your heart out. Start holes are only required for impossible to pierce materials. (Some poorly bonded laminates are sometimes the exception. In which case pre-drilling or other special methods may be employed)
Machine thick stuff
This is one huge advantage Abrasive jets have over lasers.
While most money will probably be made in thickness' under 1" (25mm) for steel, It is common to also machine up to 4" (100mm). How thick it is possible to cut is dictated by the time it takes. Cutting speed is a function of thickness, and a part twice as thick will take more than twice as long. People make low tolerance parts and roughing out metal up to 5-10" thick (125mm-250mm), but those people are very patient, and probably have no other way to do it. Typically, most money is made on parts 2" (50mm) thick or thinner.
Environmentally friendly
As long as you are not machining a material that is hazardous, the spent abrasive and waste material become suitable for land fill. The red color of garnet abrasive also looks nice in your garden. If you are machining lots of lead or other hazardous materials, you will still need to dispose of your waste appropriately, and recycle your water. Keep in mind, however, that very little metal is actually removed in the cutting process. This keeps the environmental impact relatively low, even if you do machine the occasional hazardous material.
In most areas, excess water is simply drained to the sewer. In some areas, some water treatment may be necessary prior to draining to sewere. In a few areas, a "closed loop" system that recycles the water may be required.
The pumps do use a considerable amount of electricity, though, so there is some additional environmental (and cost) impact due to this.
Your clippings are valuable
When machining or roughing out expensive materials such as titanium, your scrap still has value. This is because you get chunks, not chips. You can also get more parts from the same material because of the abrasive jets low kerf width.
There is only 1 tool
There is no need to qualify multiple tools, or deal with programming tool changes. Programming, Setup and Clean up time is reduced significantly, meaning you make more money because you can turn more parts faster.
No tool changes required, so there is no need to program tool changes or physically qualify multiple tools. For some systems, programming simply involves drawing the part. If you customer gives you that drawing on disk, half the battle is won.
This means that (for some machines) you can make good money off single part and low volume production!
Very little fixturing for most parts
Flat material can be positioned by laying it on the table and putting a couple of 10 lb weights on it. Tiny parts might require tabs, or other fixturing. At any rate, fixturing is typically not any big deal - though it is important to secure the material in the X, Y, and Z directions.
Machine virtually any 2D shape (and some 3D stuff)
Including tight inside radii, Make a carburetor flange with holes drilled and everything. Some exotic machines are capable of 3d machining, (robot arms, (x,y) machines with lathe axis, and (x,y)-(u,v) axis machines). (3D machining is especially tricky, however, due to issues regarding control of a "floppy tool". For this reason, 3D machining is reserved strictly for specialty applications.). In other words, abrasivejets are exceptional at 2D machining, but limited in 3D capability.
Very low side forces during the machiningThis means you can machine a part with walls as thin as .01" (0.25 mm) without them blowing out. This is one of the factors that make fixturing is so easy. Also, low side forces allow for close nesting of parts, and maximum material usage.
Almost No heat generated on your part
Machine without hardening the material, generating poisonous fumes, recasting, or warping. You can machine parts that have already been heat treated with only a tiny, tiny decrease in speed. On piercing 2" (50mm) thick steel, temperatures may get as high as 120 degrees F (50 C), but otherwise machining is done at room temperature.
Aerospace companies use abrasivejets a lot because of this.
No start hole required
Wire EDM, eat your heart out. Start holes are only required for impossible to pierce materials. (Some poorly bonded laminates are sometimes the exception. In which case pre-drilling or other special methods may be employed)
Machine thick stuff
This is one huge advantage Abrasive jets have over lasers.
While most money will probably be made in thickness' under 1" (25mm) for steel, It is common to also machine up to 4" (100mm). How thick it is possible to cut is dictated by the time it takes. Cutting speed is a function of thickness, and a part twice as thick will take more than twice as long. People make low tolerance parts and roughing out metal up to 5-10" thick (125mm-250mm), but those people are very patient, and probably have no other way to do it. Typically, most money is made on parts 2" (50mm) thick or thinner.
Environmentally friendly As long as you are not machining a material that is hazardous, the spent abrasive and waste material become suitable for land fill. The red color of garnet abrasive also looks nice in your garden. If you are machining lots of lead or other hazardous materials, you will still need to dispose of your waste appropriately, and recycle your water. Keep in mind, however, that very little metal is actually removed in the cutting process. This keeps the environmental impact relatively low, even if you do machine the occasional hazardous material.
In most areas, excess water is simply drained to the sewer. In some areas, some water treatment may be necessary prior to draining to sewere. In a few areas, a "closed loop" system that recycles the water may be required.
The pumps do use a considerable amount of electricity, though, so there is some additional environmental (and cost) impact due to this.
Your clippings are valuable
When machining or roughing out expensive materials such as titanium, your scrap still has value. This is because you get chunks, not chips. You can also get more parts from the same material because of the abrasive jets low kerf width.
There is only 1 tool
There is no need to qualify multiple tools, or deal with programming tool changes. Programming, Setup and Clean up time is reduced significantly, meaning you make more money because you can turn more parts faster.
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