EuroWire March 2023

Technology News

New water-jet nozzle portfolio for smooth cuts Water-jet cutting is an alternative to conventional cutting processes, providing smooth cut edges without thermal stress, and with minimal kerfs. The cutting head directs a fine jet of water at high pressure (up to 6,000 bars), with a jet diameter of 0.38 to 1.02mm. Material particles close to the surface are cut off without any heat being introduced into the material, making the process suitable for temperature-sensitive and thick materials with complex geometries. Ceratizit’s new HyproJet range is available in three versions, to cover all requirements. Mesut Goksu, segment account manager at Ceratizit, said, “We developed our HyproJet range with three standard water-jet nozzles to meet these needs: narrow hole tolerances, perfect cutting and radial run-out accuracy [to] ensure precise working results.” The powerful HyproJet X6 features improved flow of abrasive material and air in the nozzle, and a special design for cutting even the most difficult materials. For standard applications, the range includes the HyproJet P6, while the S3 standard water jet nozzle offers a more affordable choice. All of the nozzles are suitable for modern cutting head systems and support automatic centring during assembly. For some materials, water alone is insufficient as a cutting material. In these cases, the system can mix an abrasive, such as garnet or corundum, into the water jet. However, abrasives are not without disadvantages. Mathieu Schellenberger, project manager in product development at Ceratizit, explained, “They put a lot of strain on the focusing tubes due to erosion. Therefore, when redesigning the HyproJet products, we further improved the wear protection.” For this purpose, special carbide grades were used, as a result of which the HyproJet nozzles last for a long time, even at pressures of up to 6,000 bars, and achieve high cutting quality. Ceratizit takes care of all process steps from the carbide powder to the ready-to-use solution. In addition to the water-jet nozzle portfolio, the company produces various mixing chambers made of special carbide grades to meet the different wear mechanisms within the chambers. Pistons for high-pressure pumps, spray discs, collecting cups, inlet guides, wear plates, throttle shields and inlet pipes are also available. Ceratizit SA www.ceratizit.com

The HyproJet range features three standard water-jet nozzles

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March 2023