Abrasive waterjet cutting has grown along with the increased use of composites in airframes, and advanced techniques help make it a preferred technology.
A small, Philadelphia-area shop is using a 55,000-psi, 2,000-mph abrasive waterjet to help grow its primary business: making parts for Boeing aircraft.
There are many good reasons a shop might choose to purchase an abrasive waterjet machine. However, as this article explains, many factors must be considered to determine if the investment makes economic sense. The article discusses how and when a shop can adopt AWJ profitably and it explores the possibility of achieving the same results more cost effectively by subcontracting the work to an AWJ specialty house.