Profile Waterjet Cutting Proves the 'Sky's the Limit' with Jet Edge Waterjet
In 2001, Dave Willcock decided to sell his successful St. Catharines, Ontario-based machine shop and retire at the age of 39. But he quickly grew bored of retirement and decided to enter the fascinating world of waterjet machining, a cutting-edge industry that uses ultra high-pressure water to cut any material known to man.
Within months of his short-lived retirement, Willcock opened Profile Waterjet Cutting and developed a niche business manufacturing aviation components and specialty aviation tools. As a lifelong aviation enthusiast and owner of 10 aircraft, he foresaw endless opportunities for manufacturing aircraft parts with waterjet.
Willcock investigated three leading waterjet systems before deciding on buying a system from Jet Edge, Inc. of St. Michael, Minnesota. He bought a Jet Edge AMC system in 2001, then upgraded to a Jet Edge Model 48 High Rail gantry system in 2004. His machine is powered by a 30-horsepower Jet Edge 55-30 intensifier pump, rated for 60,000 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi).
Willcock said he selected the Jet Edge system after determining that it processed code better than competitor models, and was very easy to operate.
"I was very fond of the interface," he said. "It's easy to learn. It's easy to teach and it's easy to follow. I also like the fact that the entire machine is made in one place, and I didn't like the idea of buying from offshore."
Waterjet cutting is ideal for making aviation parts, Willcock said, noting that aircraft are a compilation of flat, thin parts. He read a lengthy list of parts he had made for just one customer. It included 22 items ranging from gussets and flanges to power distribution panels and custom wine racks.
"There are hundreds or even thousands of parts," he said. "The number of parts you can make will just stagger you."
Willcock contends that home-built aviation enthusiasts could greatly increase their productivity by using waterjet instead of conventional cutting tools.
"Most of the stuff is made with bandsaws, hacksaws and files," he said. "If you were building an aircraft from scratch, you would save months of work in constructing a project."
Aircraft enthusiasts also could save money by making their own specialty tools at a fraction of their retail cost, he added.
In addition to making aircraft components, Profile Waterjet Cutting makes custom artwork, company logos, sign components, underwater rover parts, custom parts for cars and motorcycles, and numerous industrial components.
"I really get my money's worth out of my waterjet," said Willcock, who noted that he has never regretted his decision to buy a Jet Edge system.
"I am very loyal to Jet Edge," he said. "Over the last four and a half years, I have known from one day to the next that I made the right decision. Jet Edge's technical support has been absolutely outstanding. They have looked after me like I am their only customer. It's never felt like I've made the wrong choice. Nothing has ever been backordered. Jet Edge's service is great, and the fact that I can get a hold of a living person who can answer technical questions 24 hours a day is worth gold. Jet Edge's product gives me very little trouble and it is easy to fix, it is easy to set up, it requires very little special fixturing of parts, and it is very predictable compared to conventional machining."
For more information about Profile Waterjet Cutting, visit www.profilewaterjet.com or call 905-684-2345.
For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com or call 1-800-JET-EDGE.
About Jet Edge
Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of ultra-high pressure waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation, coating removal, and hydro demolition. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world's leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge's customers include Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Boeing, American Airlines, and General Electric.
What is Waterjet Cutting?
Waterjet cutting uses a supersonic stream of water that is so powerful it can cut through any material in one pass without shredding or crushing it. The Jet Edge waterjet is created by pressurizing water up to 60,000 pounds per square inch (psi) with Jet Edge's legendary intensifier pumps. In many applications, an abrasive material such as garnet is added to the water to create an abrasive waterjet that can cleanly cut through hard surfaces.
Advantages of Jet Edge Waterjets
Jet Edge waterjets offer many productivity and flexibility advantages over traditional cutting methods including: no sharpening and no burrs requiring secondary finishing. Waterjets completely eliminate heat-affected zones, toxic fumes, recast layers, work hardening, and thermal stress, and offer a hygienic method for cutting food. Jet Edge waterjets can hold an accuracy of 0.005 inch with a repeatability of 0.001 inch over the entire work envelope. They have been known to cut materials up to 15 inches thick.
Waterjets are environmentally friendly and produce no hazardous waste, reducing waste disposal costs. They can cut off large pieces of reusable scrap material that might have been lost using traditional cutting methods, parts can be closely nested to maximize material use, and the waterjet saves material by creating very little kerf. Waterjets use very little water (a half gallon to approximately one gallon per minute depending on cutting head orifice size), and the water that is used can be recycled using a closed-looped system. Waste water usually is clean enough to filter and dispose of down a drain. The garnet abrasive is a non-toxic natural substance that can be recycled for repeated use. Garnet usually can be disposed of in a landfill.
Company Name: Jet Edge
Address 1: 12070 43rd St. N.E.
City: St. Michael
State: MN
Zip: 55376
Country: United States
Phone: 763-497-8700
URL: www.jetedge.com
Contact Name: Nancy Lauseng
Title: Marketing Development Specialist
E-mail: nancyl@jetedge.com
