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Story added 07 September 2010.

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Bleienbach, Switzerland, September 6, 2010 — precision machine tool building company MDC Max Daetwyler AG and specialist water jet company Waterjet AG, in collaboration with NUM, have developed an innovative CNC-based water jet cutting machine tool capable of cutting materials to within ±1 micron – which is 20 times more accurate than competitive machines. The new WOMAJET/microWATERJET machine is also extremely efficient – it consumes considerably less water and abrasives than traditional systems – and looks set to open up entirely new application areas for this form of materials processing technology.

Many of the new product fabrication materials introduced over the past few years react negatively to the effects of heat during machining. However, using a jet of water to perform the cutting operation ensures that the material structure remains unchanged; furthermore, the technique can be used on virtually any type of material – even foodstuffs, providing they are not water soluble. In the light of this, MDC Max Daetwyler, Waterjet and NUM chose to combine their expertise to jointly develop a water jet cutting machine tool specifically for precision materials processing.

The new WOMAJET/microWATERJET machine tool provides a stable, precise and repeatable manufacturing process capable of creating complex contours – it can handle land widths as narrow as 20 microns (0.02 mm). The machine uses a very high precision water jet, with a diameter of less than 300 microns, and can cut materials at a rate of up to 4000 mm per minute. All three of the machine’s axes are driven by NUMDrive C servos; these have a very high power density, which helps minimise the size of the control cabinet. Overall control of the machine is handled by a NUM Flexium CNC system, equipped with a NUM FS152i HMI for operator input commands.

The WOMAJET/microWATERJET cutting machine can accommodate an exceptionally diverse range of materials. These include biocompatible materials for medical applications, Kevlar, carbon- and glass-fibre materials such as those used in the automotive industry, and the type of specialised materials and laminates used in the aircraft and aerospace industries. In each case, all cutting operations are performed with no degradation to the materials’ characteristics or properties. One unusual application that is already generating considerable interest is for cutting precision components for the watch-making industry – mechanical watches from prestigious Swiss manufacturers are currently enjoying a renaissance.

The new cutting machine can be seen in action at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS 2010) in Chicago, which runs from September 13 to 18. It will have pride of place on the Daetwyler Corporation booth – number N-6240 in the Alternative Manufacturing Processes Pavilion.

ends

Note: WOMAJET® is a registered trademark and microWATERJET© is copyright, both of MDC Max Daetwyler AG.

Ref: num19gb

Photo caption
The new WOMAJET/microWATERJET machine uses NUM servos and a NUM Flexium CNC system to ensure precision cutting.

About MDC Max Daetwyler AG
Founded in 1952, MDC Max Daetwyler AG is a leading mechanical design and manufacturing company; it is part of the Daetwyler group, which employs around 800 people worldwide. MDC Max Daetwyler AG has its headquarters in Bleienbach, Switzerland – about 60 km west of Zurich – and also operates facilities in the USA, Estonia, China and India. The company offers a broad range of products and engineering services, including contract manufacturing and assembly. For more information, please visit www.daetwyler.com.

About Waterjet AG
Waterjet AG is the European leader in the application of abrasive water jet technology, covering both 2D and 3D materials processing. The company’s headquarters are located in Aarwangen, Switzerland, about 60 km west of Zurich. For more information, please visit www.waterjet.ch

About NUM
At the start of the sixties, more than 10 years before CNC control was starting to become widely accepted, NUM's first CNC controller was being developed. NUM's strategy is to help current and future customers to construct better machines and thereby secure a competitive advantage. The company focuses on a number of high end CNC applications, where it undeniably has something extra to offer. Headquartered in Switzerland, and with R&D facilities in Switzerland, France and Italy, NUM currently has more than 35 sales and service locations worldwide. In addition to CNC hardware and software, NUM also develops and manufactures the core products that have an impact on the overall performance of the system including drives and motors. NUM will also integrate and take responsibility for third party products in application-specific solutions in close cooperation with partners and customers, to provide a one stop shop for CNC solutions. Please visit www.num.com

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