Waterjet Cutters and Cutting Machinery
Water Jet Cutting System to Make UK Debut
The largest producer of intensifier pump systems for water jet cutting, KMT, has introduced a new, 40 HP / 3,800 bar, top quality product at an entry-level price, despite manufacturing the equipment at its world class factory in the USA. It will be shown for the first time in the UK at MACH 2012.
Called NEOLINE, the CE-marked unit is incorporated into machines built by water jet cutting and profiling system OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and costs just two thirds of a 50 HP unit. It is supplied with or without an electrical panel and booster, making it suitable for both new and experienced machine builders.
The pump's power positions it in the medium range, allowing it to supply one water jet nozzle of up to 0.30 mm diameter or two 0.23 mm nozzles. It is ideally suited to single-head cutting of metals, where a 30 HP pump could struggle and a 50 HP unit might be unnecessarily powerful. Likewise, the 40 HP pump is suitable for processing softer materials on a twin-head machine. The water jet can be either pure or with garnet abrasive added.
Economies of scale in production have allowed the high performance-to-price ratio to be achieved. To this end, the company has invested heavily in new plant and processes to maximise production efficiency at its Baxter Springs factory in Kansas.
The stainless steel topworks of NEOLINE is of the same quality as that on higher specification KMT pumps. A one-litre accumulator maintains output pressure from the intensifier to ensure smooth flow of water to the nozzle(s), leading to a high quality of cut and promoting longevity of machine parts.
Included in the KMT package are a heat exchanger to cool the hydraulic oil and water, and a safety dump valve on the pump to relieve system pressure in the case of shutdown. Modular design allows quick and easy maintenance as well as rapid replacement of individual wear parts when the need arises.
