Waterjet technology aids aerospace research

Working with its recently announced UK agent Wightman Stewart, Ohio-based WardJet has bought its wealth of waterjet experience in the US market to the UK by supplying one of its Z Series 513 machines to the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing.

The AMRC's vision is to become a world class global research facility developing innovative and advanced technology solutions for advanced materials, and WardJet has been selected as a partner on the basis of its position in terms of waterjet technology and its commitment to innovation and development.

Complementing its technological input to the centre, WardJet is also one of 18 Tier 1 members within the AMRC. Specifically, the company's waterjet technology has been selected to demonstrate the potential of high performance machining and the production of parts without compromise to the structural or surface integrity of components. In doing so, the Z Series machine will be employed on a wide range of research projects, with its ability to cut a wide range of both metallic and non-metallic materials an important factor in its selection.

Another important attribute of the Z Series 513 machine is the ability to extend and upgrade it in the future to meet the requirements of new research programmes. As WardJet's president Richard Ward elucidated at a recent open house at the AMRC, the company prides itself on a highly modular approach to its products, claiming that any of its machines past and present can be upgraded to the latest technology. The table installed at the AMRC for example, is not only upgradable to 5-axis machining, but is also prepared for many other automated machining applications if required.

Z Series machines are available in a variety of sizes and offer key features such as an additional foot of travel in the X axis to accommodate a second head without compromising distance of travel, independent Z-Carriages to quickly adjust the distance between cutting heads and the ability to automatically space cutting heads apart. The Z-513 in particular offers a cutting envelope of 1,540mm by 3,680mm with one head, or 1,540mm by 3,960mm with two.

Wightman Stewart is responsible for all of WardJet's sales in the UK and will provide local technical support to the AMRC. The distributor has been selected by WardJet due to its many years of experience in the application of waterjet technology.

Wightman Stewart
www.wightmanstewart.com