ABSTRACT
Water jet machining (WJM) removes material through the erosion effects of a high-velocity, small-diameter jet of water. Unlike conventional mechanical cutting processes, downtime for the replacement of worn or broken cutting tools is virtually non-existent with WJM because the "tool" never dulls or breaks. Early WJM systems used water mixed with long-chain polymers, such as polyethylene oxide, to reduce fluid flow friction and to give the water more cohesive properties. A wide range of materials can be cut with WJM, but because erosion is the method of removal, materials must be porous, fibrous, granular, or soft. A WJM cable stripper operates semiautomatically. The cable end is manually inserted into a cable guide at the front of the machine. When the cable has been inserted to the correct depth, a proximity switch closes, and the system continues under automatic control. The fiberglass batt industry uses WJM cutting to achieve full insulative properties in their product.
