Flow International Corporation

Aki Tanuma

Mohamed Ahmed Hashish

Steven J Craigen

Bruce M Schuman

Charles D Burnham

Alex M Chillman

Charles M Wakefield

Larry G Pearson

Richard Bernard Hageman, Iii

Sean A Vaughan

Kirby J Eide

Raymond L Chenoweth, Ii

Raymond L Ii Chenoweth

Richard B Iii Hageman

A cutting head of a waterjet cutting system is provided having an environment control device and a measurement device. The environment control device is positioned to act on a surface of a workpiece at least during a measurement operation to establish a measurement area on the surface of the workpiece substantially unobstructed by fluid. The measurement device is positioned to selectively obtain information from within the measurement area indicative of a position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece. A control system is further provided and operable to position the cutting head relative to the workpiece at a standoff distance based at least in part on the information indicative of the position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece obtained by the measurement device. A method of operating a waterjet cutting system is also provided.

Waterjet cutting system with standoff distance control

A fluid pump system includes a pump having a plurality of cylinders, each having an outlet port coupled to a high-pressure manifold. A pressure transducer is coupled to the manifold and configured to convert pressure levels of fluid in the manifold to a voltage signal at an output of the transducer. The system further includes a digitizer configured to convert the voltage signal from the transducer to a digital signal at a digitizer output, such that when a value of the voltage signal is less than a selected reference voltage a first digital value is produced, and when the voltage level exceeds the selected reference voltage a second digital value is produced. A diagnostic circuit having an input coupled to the digitizer output is configured to detect malfunctions of the pump based upon characteristics of the digital signal.

Apparatus and method for detecting malfunctions in high-pressure fluid pumps

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Federal Way, WA, United States of America

Aki Tanuma