Robotic Waterjet and Saw System optimizes countertop cutting.
Press Release Summary:
Combining Paser® waterjet cutting system with 20 hp direct drive saw, Mach 4r helps customers achieve precise corner radius, max material usage, and straight-line cutting. Foundry-grade, 6-axis robot has 20,000-hr maintenance cycle and extended reach of 3.1 m. Dual work zones enable operator to simultaneously load and cut slabs. Featuring automatic tool pathing, system is programmed by comprehensive software suite, eliminating need for g-code knowledge typically required by CNC machines.
Original Press Release:
Robotic Waterjet and Saw Solution for Countertops Significantly Improves Shop Productivity
KENT, Wash., - Flow International Corporation (NASDAQ: FLOW) announces the launch of the new Mach 4r, a combination robotic waterjet and saw cutting system. It maximizes a shop's productivity by optimizing countertop cutting and significantly improving operator efficiency.
This combination allows customers to achieve the benefits of precise corner radius and maximum material usage offered by Flow waterjets with fast straight-line cutting of a saw. A highly accurate and dependable robot and efficient, field-proven software add to the productivity improvements. Customers can select from a wide variety of Flow pumps to complete their system.
The heavy duty, foundry-grade, 6-Axis robot has a 20,000 hour maintenance cycle with an extended reach of 3.1 meters. It utilizes the world's most popular and fastest waterjet, a Flow International Paser® waterjet cutting system, and combines that with the optimal horsepower saw for countertop fabrication, a 20 hp direct drive. Dual work zones allow the operator to simultaneously load and cut slabs resulting in unmatched fabrication speed and uptime. The system features automatic tool pathing and is programmed by a comprehensive yet easy to use software suite, eliminating the need for g-code knowledge typically required by CNC machines. Files from all major CAD programs are directly accepted. The software suite includes the following software tools to increase productivity:
o Vein matching software easily combines multiple stone pieces from different slabs for exact color matches at the seams created with a combination of multiple stone pieces from any number of slabs.
o A vision system directly transfers pictures of the stone slab to the operating monitor, allowing dxf drawings to be applied to the slab and cutting to start immediately.
o An inventory management system easily catalogs slabs online using photographs and barcoding to efficiently organize slab inventory.
"Our years of experience supplying abrasive waterjet cutting systems to the Stone industry has allowed us to launch this exciting product that will significantly increase any Stone shop's productivity," says Tim Fabian, global product manager.
"We recently installed Flow's robot cutting system in our shop. It's been a great asset. It's easy to learn and we have not only improved our throughput, but increased the overall satisfaction of our customers," says Cedric Graham, owner of Royal Marble and Tile. "It now takes us only 15 minutes to process an entire slab."
About Flow International
Flow International Corporation is the world's leading developer and manufacturer of ultrahigh-pressure waterjet technology for cutting and cleaning. Flow provides state-of-the-art ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) technology to numerous industries including automotive, aerospace, job shop, stone interiors, surface preparation, food and dozens more. For more information, visit www.FlowWaterjet.com.
