laser and waterjet capabilities[1]

8/12/2019 Laser and Waterjet Capabilities[1]

1/5

Automation

Tooling

Systems

Cambridge Advanced Systems Division

MECHANICAL DESIGN STANDARDS

NUMBER:

PAGE:

ISSUE DATE:

REVISION:

PREPARED BY:

APPROVED BY:

1 of 5

September ! "##$

S%&'b()( * M% Bro+,

LASER AND -ATER .ET CAPABILITIES

1% SCOPE

This document will outline:

Materials that can be cut by each process

Material thicknesses that can be cut by each process

Achievable tolerances

Design consideration

When to use each process

"% LASER CUTTING

"%1 OVERVIE-

CNC laser cutting process is designed to cut a variety o materials to precise speciications! Cutting

programs ensure the most eicient layout o material! The laser beam is guided through mirrors rom the

stationary laser resonator to the moveable cutting head while the material lies stationary on the cutting

table! The distance between the cutting no""le and the work piece is automatically held constant to ensure a

precise cutting operation! The e#uipment ad$usts cutting speeds and power based upon the comple%ity and

type o material being cut!

"%" MATERIALS

Steel& Stainless steel& aluminum& titanium& copper& inconel& hastalloy& and generally any carbon based

material!

"%/ THIC&NESSES

'or aluminum ma%imum thickness o ()*+, no min thickness with nitrogen assisted cutting!

'or stainless ma%imum thickness o -,& no min thickness with nitrogen assisted cutting!

'or Steel a ma%imum thickness o .,& no min thickness with o%ygen assisted cutting /blackened edge0

Typically& thicknesses e%ceeding ()1, would not be laser cut due to compromised edge #uality as a

result o heat buildup!

"%0 TOLERANCES

The best tolerance most laser cutting shops will guarantee is 2)3!445,!

Accuracy 3 2)3 4!445 6nches

7ositional 3 2)3 4!448 6nches

9epeatability 3 2)3 4!448 inches

Tolerances will vary with material types and thicknesses but this is a good guideline! The more power

re#uired to cut a material thickness& the looser the tolerance will be!

ATS PROPRIETARY: T6S D;C ;' ATS! 6T 6S C;N'6D=NT6A? 6N NAT


2/5

Automation

Tooling

Systems



NUMBER:

PAGE:

ISSUE DATE:

REVISION:

PREPARED BY:

APPROVED BY:

" of 5

September ! "##$

S%&'b()( * M% Bro+,

"%5 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

7recision dowel holes& keyways& and any other design eatures re#uiring a tighter tolerance canno

be laser cut!

Most laser cutting beams are !44(, in diameter! ole diameter cannot be smaller than the thickness o the material it is being cut rom /ie! The

smallest hole in a !*85, thick sheet o stainless steel would be a !*85, in diameter0! owever& hole

locations can be pierced)marked on the material and then inished in house!

eat produced by laser cutting should rarely)never produce warpage in the part

Material edges ater laser cutting should never need to be machined! 7rocess produces clean cut

edges!

All laser cutting is programmed e%clusively using D' ormat! Thus& we save time and money i we

provide D' ormat to our shops! 6 not& they would be re#uired to draw and program parts to be

nested during cutting!

'lat views and developed lengths always need to be speciied on ATS drawings or laser cutting!

Stainless Steel Sheet E inish has a polished inish! This should be used when appearance is

important! Speciy on the drawing which side is to be the polished surace! 7olished side withprotective ilm must always be Fplaced up, or laser cutting! See igure * or an e%ample drawing!

When multiple bent pieces made rom stainless steel with a E inish are to be placed side by side&

grain direction must be speciied on the print! This is to avoid have the grain run in one direction on

one piece and perpendicular on the piece ne%t to it! See igure * or an e%ample drawing!

G3A%is ad$ustability H 8!I5 inches

Ma%imum work piece weight H *&*85 lbs

7recision cutting o blanking dies rom pre3hardened materials

Typical lead time o laser cutting is I3*4 working days

"% -HEN TO USE

6tems that are odd proiles& contain various cutouts and can be cut rom lat sheet stock& are good

candidates or laser cutting! =lectrical panels& abrication doors& some types o brackets and

covers& etcJ! have been sent out by ATS lately or laser cutting!

?aser cutting can be used in replacement o CNC operations were tolerances in the thousands o an

inch are acceptable

Kuantity and secondary operations re#uired are play a actor in determining i a part is suitable or

laser cutting! Bery high volume brackets or instance we have ound to be more cost eective by

CNC punching and ormed by someone like Comme%! 6t is really diicult to give a guideline to a

part which is good to be laser cut since many times it is done on a case by case basis!

/% -ATER .ET CUTTING

/%1 OVERVIE-

Co,e,t2o,() -(ter .et

Conventional water $et cutting is used to cut a broad range o material using a variety o water and abrasive

mi%tures under high pressure! The range o material that can be cut with a high degree o precision is enormous

varying rom ilm& oam and cardboard to stainless steel and granite and rom thickness o !44* to *4 inches!

Material loss is minimi"ed as comple% computer programs are deployed to ensure the most eicient layout and

widths o cuts are only !4* to !45 inches!



3/5

Automation

Tooling

Systems



NUMBER:

PAGE:

ISSUE DATE:

REVISION:

PREPARED BY:

APPROVED BY:

/ of 5

September ! "##$

S%&'b()( * M% Bro+,

D3,(m24 -(ter .et

Dynamic water $et with Active Tolerance Control is an advance motion& (3D kinematics system that provides tiltcontrol to cut parts aster and with greater accuracy and is speciically designed to eliminate edge taper! This

advanced water $et technology is used on $obs re#uiring a higher degree o precision on corners! 6t can be usedon the same broad range o material as conventional water $et technology!

/%" MATERIALS

Wide variety o materials can be cut by water $et!


4/5

Automation

Tooling

Systems



NUMBER:

PAGE:

ISSUE DATE:

REVISION:

PREPARED BY:

APPROVED BY:

0 of 5

September ! "##$

S%&'b()( * M% Bro+,

/% DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

All water $et cutting is programmed e%clusively using D' ormat! Thus& we save time and money i

we provide D' ormat to our shops! 6 not& they would be re#uired to draw and program parts to be

nested during cutting! 'lat views and developed lengths always need to be speciied on ATS drawings or water $et cutting!

Stainless Steel Sheet E inish has a polished inish! This should be used when appearance is

important! Speciy on the drawing which side is to be the polished surace! See igure * or an

e%ample drawing!

When multiple bent pieces made rom stainless steel with a E inish are to be placed side by side&

grain direction must be speciied on the print! This is to avoid have the grain run in one direction on

one piece and perpendicular on the piece ne%t to it! See igure * or an e%ample drawing!

7recision dowel holes& keyways& and any other design eatures re#uiring a tighter tolerance cannot

be water $et cut!

Material edges ater water $et cutting normally never need to be machined! 7rocess can produce

clean cut edges to a inish o *54 microinches! May see an increased surace inish roughness with

material beyond , thick! 7ieces are typically cutting at 14O o machine speed! 6 *54 microinches

inish is re#uired on thicker parts then it needs to be speciied on the print in the orm o a inish

mark and surace inish callout! See 'igure 8 or edge #uality!

7recision cutting o blanking dies rom pre3hardened materials

Typical lead time o water $et cutting is 53I days!

629 1% Gr(2, 2re4t2o, (, po)2;


5/5

Automation

Tooling

Systems



NUMBER:

PAGE:

ISSUE DATE:

REVISION:

PREPARED BY:

APPROVED BY:

5 of 5

September ! "##$

S%&'b()( * M% Bro+,

629 "% E9e ='()2t3 2, re)(t2o, to 4't ;pee

/%$ -HEN TO USE

When discoloration o cut edge is not acceptable!

6 material thickness is greater than *)1 inch!

6 edge #uality needs to be better then that o a lame cut!

6tems that are odd proiles as a substitute or CNC& and contain various cutouts and can be cut rom lat

plate stock& are good candidates or water $et cutting! See 'igure ( or an e%ample o a water $et piece!

629 /% E>(mp)e of +(ter ?et p2e4e

/%@ Dr(+2,9 G'2e)2,e;

'or drawing sheet guidelines see section in the Detailing ) Drating Standards


laser and waterjet capabilities[1]

Documents