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PORTAL WATERJET CUTTING MACHINE
Durable and long-lasting waterjet cutting machines for demanding applications
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FLYING BRIDGE WATERJET CUTTING MACHINE
The FinJet L Series is designed for flexible cutting in all environments
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COMPACT & CAPSULATED WATERJET CUTTING MACHINE
Plug-and-play waterjet cutting machine for quick installation and commissioning
Typical waterjet installation includes cutting table, control desk, high pressure pump, abrasive silo, electrical cabinet and waste removal system. The required foot print is affected by the size of the cutting table and the selected additional equipment. The smallest table needs only 3 x 3m area.
Most common abrasive quality is 80 mesh. 120 mesh is used for example cutting glass. Muototerä can give recommendations about the garnet abrasive depending on the application.
One 50 hp (37kW) pump uses approx. 2 – 4 litres per minute for cutting. The pump uses water also for cooling, if there is no oil-air heat exchanger in use. Cooling water consumption is approx. 3-15L per minute depending on water and room temperature, as well as the usage of the pump.
Normally the tap-water is good enough for waterjet cutting. There are certain qualifications for the water quality, which can be used for quality assessment. If the water is too hard, it can cause abnormal wearing in high pressure components. It is strongly recommended to take a water analyze before installing a system. The result gives us important information when choosing appropriate water treatment system. The pressure of the supply water should be constant min. 3.5 bar. Where pressure fluctuations occur in the public water supply, the system should be equipped with water reserve tank and constant pressure pump. The constant supply of high quality water to the high pressure pump prolongs the service life of wear parts in the intensifier.
The most important issue is to consider the overall economy of the lifetime costs. When planning the investment, it would be good to estimate the using hours per week and list different kind of types of use. This helps for planning the costs and service / spare part practices. A waterjet cutting system made by Muototerä has a lifetime of 15-25 years, so it is not only the purchase price that counts. It means in other words that the cheapest system may not be the best solution. If there is poor service and support available, or if there are not all the needed spare parts available, it may result high cost regarding the lifetime of the system. Assuming the lifetime is 15 years for abrasive cutting with 37kW pump, the estimated costs are divided as follows:
Operator cost 51 %
Abrasive cost 15 %
Purchase price 14 %
Service / spare parts 12 %
Electricity and water 8 %
Due to the reason that the operator cost is the biggest cost, it is essential to make sure that the operators are trained properly and have appropriate tools for working efficiently. This can be achieved by professional training and easy to use control and software. Muototerä has been developing these key factors for a long time.
Basic training is done by skilled professionals and the helpdesk is always available. The systems and additional equipment are also designed so that unmanned production can be used.
Muototerä designs the systems so that the usability is the main driver. We test the new functions first though in our own subcontracting production before launching them on the market. It gives as possibility to adjust the design so that the user feedback has been counted. Muototerä has wide range of spare parts available for quick deliveries and has strong experience on service for waterjet cutting systems. This is very important issue when aiming to minimize the downtime on cutting machines. The most expensive hours are those, when the system is not available for cutting.