Welcome to the world of VICHOR CNC waterjet cutting! As an industry leader, we strive to provide you with the highest quality waterjet cutting machines and unmatched customer service. Our commitment to excellence has earned us a reputation for delivering reliable and precise equipment that meets the needs of small and medium-sized business owners like you. In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into the many benefits and capabilities of our CNC waterjet cutting machines, and share some valuable tips to help you maximize efficiency and precision in your cutting projects.

Nesting Parts for Material Savings

One of the key advantages of CNC waterjet cutting is the ability to nest parts, which leads to significant material savings. Nesting refers to the process of tightly organizing, rearranging, or situating 2D parts on a sheet of material in one single plane. This technique aims to fit the most parts onto the least amount of material, ultimately reducing waste and material consumption. At VICHOR, our highly trained machine programmers carefully analyze your 2D CAD files and work closely with you to determine the optimal quantity and arrangement of your desired parts. By doing so, we can help you get the most out of your material and save you both time and money. To better understand the concept of nesting, let’s take a look at an example.

Imagine you need to cut several rectangular parts from a large sheet of metal. Instead of arranging the parts in a grid-like fashion, we can rotate and reposition them so that they fit more closely together, leaving minimal gaps between each piece. This approach minimizes the amount of unused material and maximizes the number of parts that can be cut from the sheet. Nesting is a highly efficient technique that allows you to make the most of your materials and reduce overall costs.

Stacking Material for Decreased Cost per Piece

Another cost-saving technique that is unique to waterjet cutting is the stacking of multiple sheets or plates. By sandwiching several layers of material together, we can cut the entire stack as if it’s a single, thicker piece. This method allows for increased productivity, ranging from 50% to over 500%, depending on the material thickness and the number of sheets stacked. However, it’s essential to find the right balance between stack height and precision, as these two factors are inversely related.

At VICHOR, we’ll help you determine the optimum level of stacking for your unique project, taking into account the geometry, specifications, and tolerances of your parts. For instance, if your parts have many small holes, the top pieces in the stack will generally have cleaner and rounder holes than the bottom ones. Similarly, if your parts have numerous corners, stacking may be less advantageous, as the waterjet needs to slow down when cutting corners, and the increased stack thickness will further reduce cutting speed. Moreover, there’s additional setup time required for stacking materials, as proper fixturing is necessary to prevent the parts from floating away or shifting during cutting. Stacking is most effective when working with extremely thin materials or large production runs of thin material.

Un-stacking Thick Parts for Faster Cutting

In some cases, it may be more efficient to cut several thinner parts and weld them together, rather than cutting a single, thicker part. For example, if you need a 2″ (5 cm) thick part, cutting four 1/2″ (1.2 cm) thick parts and welding them together can save you a significant amount of time and money, provided that your design allows for this approach. This method can be especially useful when working with thicker materials that take longer to cut, as it allows you to reduce cutting time and still achieve the desired part thickness.

Stacking Dissimilar Materials

Waterjet cutting also enables you to stack and cut materials with different compositions that are glued together. For instance, you might need to create a cover plate made of plastic with a foam backing. By gluing the foam to the plastic first, you can cut both materials simultaneously as a single unit, which saves production time and ensures that the parts align perfectly. However, you may need to experiment with different cutting speeds and settings to achieve the best results for this new “material” combination. At VICHOR, our experts can guide you through this process and help you find the ideal cutting parameters for your specific application.

Finding the Right Balance for Stack Cutting with VICHOR Waterjet

When it comes to stack cutting, it’s crucial to strike the right balance between efficiency and precision. The best range for stacking is typically between 0.400 and 0.600 inches. As the stack gets thicker, the cutting speed decreases, and the edge quality of the bottom pieces may suffer. For example, if you can cut a 0.125-inch thick piece in 3 minutes, stacking four pieces to a total thickness of 0.5 inches might reduce the cutting time to 8 minutes, or 2 minutes per piece. However, if you stack 8 pieces with a total thickness of 1 inch, the cutting time might increase to 32 minutes, or 4 minutes per piece, while also compromising edge quality.

Although it’s possible to stack materials up to 2 inches or more, the trade-offs in terms of edge finish and cutting speed might outweigh the benefits of stacking. As mentioned earlier, the optimal total stack thickness is around 0.400 to 0.600 inches, which allows for a reasonable balance between cutting speed and edge quality. Beyond this thickness, you’ll need to slow down the waterjet cutting machine to maintain a consistent edge finish, which may result in longer overall cycle times.

VICHOR’s Commitment to Customer Success

At VICHOR, our primary goal is to help you achieve success in your cutting projects. With our high-quality CNC waterjet cutting machines and exceptional customer support, we are dedicated to providing you with tailored solutions that meet your unique needs. Our team of experts is always available to assist you in selecting the right equipment, optimizing cutting parameters, and finding the best techniques to maximize efficiency and precision.

Tailored Solutions for Your Unique Applications

We understand that every project is different, and our experts work closely with you to develop customized solutions that address your specific requirements. Whether it’s optimizing nesting and stacking strategies, experimenting with different materials and cutting speeds, or finding the perfect balance between efficiency and precision, VICHOR is your trusted partner for all your CNC waterjet cutting needs.

Discover the VICHOR Advantage

When you choose VICHOR, you’re not just investing in a CNC waterjet cutting machine; you’re also gaining access to our wealth of knowledge, expertise, and resources. Our team is dedicated to helping you get the most out of your equipment and ensuring that you achieve the best possible results for your business. Experience the VICHOR advantage and elevate your cutting projects to new heights.

In conclusion, VICHOR CNC waterjet cutting machines offer an unmatched combination of efficiency, precision, and versatility. By leveraging our expert tips and tricks, such as nesting, stacking, and balancing cutting parameters, you can optimize your cutting projects and save time and money in the process.