5 ms·

Banksy would approve! Curious to understand: what kind of machinery is this and why does the cutting happen in water?

bombcar 5y ago
A water jet sends an extremely high pressure thin jet of water that can precisely cut many materials. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter
- namdnay 5y ago
  water + an abrasive in this case, water won't cut an iphone
- hoseja 5y ago
  The water is filled with sapphires.
  - daniel_reetz 5y ago
    Actually, the abrasive is garnet, but the orifice that forms the jet is a drilled sapphire. Source: I own and operate a waterjet.
6LLvveMx2koXfwn 5y ago
Banksy?
- shoto_io 5y ago
  thanks, you're right
MisterTea 5y ago
It's a gantry type 3 axis CNC with what amounts to a stupendously high-pressure pressure washer attached to it. The cutting head has a hopper that feeds a dry cutting abrasive in fine granular form (sand like or finer) into the water jet. The extreme pressure accelerates the water and abrasive to high impact velocity which cleanly cuts many materials including ceramics, glasses and very hard metals. A nice bonus is there is little heat input so you wont get warping or worry about annealing hard metals. Just under the cutting bed is a bath of water the jet terminates into. They do generate a little water mist during punch through but surprisingly is pretty dry around the machine. They make really nice clean cuts but require a lot of upkeep and the abrasive is a consumable you have to keep buying. Ive seen one operating next to a plasma cutter (same CNC setup) in a fab shop and it was a night and day comparison. The plasma cutter was shooting sparks and embers everywhere while belching noxious smoke and the machine was filthy and covered in soot. Its more akin to welding. The benefit is they have less upkeep and consumables. Though plasma can not handle the variety of materials a water jet can.

A water jet sends an extremely high pressure thin jet of water that can precisely cut many materials. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter

namdnay 5y ago
water + an abrasive in this case, water won't cut an iphone
hoseja 5y ago
The water is filled with sapphires.
- daniel_reetz 5y ago
  Actually, the abrasive is garnet, but the orifice that forms the jet is a drilled sapphire. Source: I own and operate a waterjet.

6LLvveMx2koXfwn 5y ago

Banksy?

shoto_io 5y ago
thanks, you're right

MisterTea 5y ago

It's a gantry type 3 axis CNC with what amounts to a stupendously high-pressure pressure washer attached to it. The cutting head has a hopper that feeds a dry cutting abrasive in fine granular form (sand like or finer) into the water jet. The extreme pressure accelerates the water and abrasive to high impact velocity which cleanly cuts many materials including ceramics, glasses and very hard metals. A nice bonus is there is little heat input so you wont get warping or worry about annealing hard metals. Just under the cutting bed is a bath of water the jet terminates into. They do generate a little water mist during punch through but surprisingly is pretty dry around the machine. They make really nice clean cuts but require a lot of upkeep and the abrasive is a consumable you have to keep buying. Ive seen one operating next to a plasma cutter (same CNC setup) in a fab shop and it was a night and day comparison. The plasma cutter was shooting sparks and embers everywhere while belching noxious smoke and the machine was filthy and covered in soot. Its more akin to welding. The benefit is they have less upkeep and consumables. Though plasma can not handle the variety of materials a water jet can.