Flow International Corporation

Flow Systems, Inc.

Burnham, Charles D.

Hashish, Mohamed A.

Glenn A Erichsen

Jiannan Zhou

Mohamed Ahmed Hashish

Michael Knaupp

Charles D Burnham

Chidambaram Raghavan

John H Olsen

Jordan J Hopkins

Felice M Sciulli

Paul H Tacheron

Alex M Chillman

Andreas Meyer

Charles M Wakefield

Mira K Sahney

Katherine J Zaring

Andrew P Sterne

Brian Kent

Craig D Sunada

Amanda C Kotchon

Adam G Law

Dana Haukoos

Hyun Jung

Olivier L Tremoulet, Jr

Edmund Y Ting

Robert J Mann

Ethan E Romanoff

Curtis L Anderson

John C Massenburg

Thomas Harry O'Connor

Adrian T Kirn

Blake G Bozlee

Timothy D Wood

Emil A Marx

Bruce L Amundsen

Chip Burnham

Rhonda R Smith

Robert P Many

Katherine J Zarin

Disclosed herein are components, systems, and methods of operating an abrasive fluid jet system that recycles and reuses abrasive particles. The systems and methods described enable accurate metering and consistent feeding of wet abrasive particles thereby reducing the time and cost of operations associated with drying the recycled abrasive particles prior to reuse. The system may adjust a ratio of wet abrasive to dry abrasive being provided to a cutting head to form an abrasive fluid jet. Components of the system may overcome challenges associated with clumping and other issues that result in difficulty metering wet abrasive.

Systems and apparatus for use of wet recycled abrasive and methods of operation of said systems and apparatus

Systems and methods for providing real-time modification of cutting process programs using feedback from one or more sensors which measure one or more operational parameters of a cutting process and/or cutting apparatus. The sensor readings may be used to provide real-time modification of a motion program after such motion program has been provided to a motion controller. Examples of such operational parameters may include waterjet pump supply pressure, the abrasive mass flow rate, the force of the waterjet on the target piece, etc. The systems and methods discussed herein also utilize a cutting algorithm or program to calculate actual cut quality based on one or more sensor inputs, and to generate warnings or system shut-downs accordingly. The systems and methods discussed herein also utilize inspection devices to inspect coupons or first articles, and use the inspection data to autonomously modify motion programs and/or cutting process models without user intervention.

Autonomous modification of waterjet cutting systems

Methods, systems, and techniques for automatically determining jet orientation parameters to correct for potential deviations in three dimensional part cutting are provided. Example embodiments provide an Adaptive Vector Control System (AVCS), which automatically determines speeds and orientation parameters of a cutting jet to attempt to insure that a part will be cut within prescribed tolerances where possible. In one embodiment, the AVCS determines the tilt and swivel of a cutting head by mathematical predictive models that examine the cutting front for each of 'm' hypothetical layers in a desired part, to better predict whether the part will be within tolerances, and to determine what corrective angles are needed to correct for deviations due to drag, radial deflection, and/or taper.

Automated determination of jet orientation parameters in three-dimensional fluid jet cutting

A contour follower includes a plurality of sensors spaced around a waterjet nozzle, each of the sensors being configured to measure a distance between a working surface and a first plane, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the nozzle. The sensors may include hall-effect sensors lying in the first plane and magnets lying in a second plane, parallel to the working surface. A detecting circuit processes signals from the sensors to determine an angle of the working surface, relative to the first plane, and a distance between an aperture of the nozzle and the working surface. A collision detection sensor provides a signal in the event the device approaches to within a selected distance of an obstruction in the plane of the working surface. A shield plate blocks and dampens secondary spray-back of cutting fluid occurring at low angles above the working surface.

Method of using a contour follower

Contour follower for tool

Methods and systems for automating the control of fluid jet orientation parameters are provided. Example embodiments provide a Dynamic Waterjet Control System (a 'DWCS') to dynamically control the orientation of the jet relative to the material being cut as a function of speed and other process parameters. Orientation parameters include, for example, the three dimensional orientation parameters of the jet, such as standoff compensation values and taper and lead angles of the cutting head. In one embodiment, the DWCS uses a set of predictive models to determine these orientation parameters. The DWCS preferably comprises a motion program generator/kernel, a user interface, one or more replaceable orientation and process models, and a communications interface to a fluid jet apparatus controller. In one embodiment the DWCS embedded in the controller and performs a 'look-ahead' procedure to automatically control cutting head orientation.

Method and system for automated software control of waterjet orientation parameters

Methods and systems for automating the control of fluid jet orientation parameters are provided. Example embodiments provide a Dynamic Waterjet Control System (a &ldquo;DWCS&rdquo;) to dynamically control the orientation of the jet relative to the material being cut as a function of speed and other process parameters. Orientation parameters include, for example, the x-y position of the jet along the cutting path, as well as three dimensional orientation parameters of the jet, such as standoff compensation values and taper and lead angles of the cutting head. In one embodiment, the DWCS uses a set of predictive models to determine these orientation parameters. The DWCS preferably comprises a motion program generator/kernel, a user interface, one or more replaceable orientation and process models, and a communications interface to a fluid jet apparatus controller. Optionally the DWCS also includes a CAD module for designing the target piece. In operation, the motion program generator receives input from the CAD design module and the user interface to build a motion program that can be forwarded to and executed by the controller to control the cutting process. The replaceable models provide the motion program generator with access to sets of mathematical models that are used to determine appropriate jet orientation and process parameters. For example, in some environments, these equations are used to generate the x-position, y-position, standoff compensation value, lead angle, and taper angle of each command. The DWCS also provides two way communication between itself and the controller. The controller functions are used, for example, to display the cutting path in progress while the target piece is being cut out of the workpiece. They are also used to obtain current values of the cutting apparatus, such as the current state of attached mechanical and electrical devices.

An improved system for generating an abrasive fluid jet is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment, abrasive is fed from a bulk hopper into an air isolator having a baffle that limits the flow of air and abrasive through the air isolator, thereby venting air from the abrasive. An on/off device having a rod coupled to a stopper is provided within the air isolator, the rod being selectively raised and lowered in a vertical direction. A discharge orifice is provided in a bottom surface of the air isolator, the stopper covering the discharge orifice when the rod is in a lowered position, thereby preventing the discharge of abrasive from the air isolator. A metering disk is provided adjacent the discharge orifice, an orifice in the metering disk being aligned with the discharge orifice, such that abrasive exiting the air isolator flows through the metering disk. A vented adapter is coupled to the air isolator, which helps to control the flow of abrasive through the system and serves to eject any abrasive or fluid that may back up into the system due to a clog, thereby preventing fluid from backing up into the air isolator. Abrasive is then fed from the vented adapter through a feedline into a mixing chamber of a cutting head, the abrasive being entrained by a high-pressure fluid jet, such that the abrasive and high-pressure fluid jet mix and are ejected through a mixing tube coupled to the cutting head as an abrasive fluid jet. The high-pressure fluid jet is generated by forcing a volume of high-pressure fluid through an orifice that is set in a tapered mount, the tapered mount being seated in the cutting head and having shallowly tapered walls, such that the mount does not swage itself into the cutting head. The mixing tube is provided with a reference member on an outer surface of the mixing tube, thereby positioning the mixing tube in a simple and efficient manner. The cutting head is further provided with a second inlet port that may be coupled to any selected attachment, for example, an assembly for monitoring the performance of the system or a piercing attachment.

Abrasive fluid jet system

A high pressure relief valve for use in a high pressure fluid pump is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment, a valve seat is provided with a tapered hole and with a conduit, the tapered hole and conduit being in fluid communication with each other and with fluid having a variable pressure. A tapered pin having grooves is held in the tapered hole by a control force, or control pressure acting through a plunger. When the pressure of the fluid is sufficiently high to overcome the control force or pressure, the tapered pin is forced to move sufficiently to create an annular clearance between the tapered pin and the tapered hole, thereby allowing pressurized fluid to flow past the pin to an outlet. An outer surface of the valve seat in a region of the tapered pin is tapered in an opposite direction to that of the tapered hole, thereby weakening the valve seat in that region, such that the tapered hole is able to expand and contract as the pressure of the fluid increases and decreases.

Erosion resistant high pressure relief valve

A high pressure liquid jet abrasive cutting apparatus having a removable and replaceable cartridge assembly. This cartridge assembly has a nozzle unit with a jewel orifice, an intermediate mixing chamber where the liquid jet and the abrasive particles mix, and a discharge tube through which the liquid jet incorporating abrasive particles therein is discharged. The nozzle unit and the discharge tube are preassembled in a cartridge housing at a factory location under controlled conditions, so that precise alignment is obtained. Replacement of the worn parts is accomplished by interchange of the cartridge assembly.

Liquid abrasive cutting jet cartridge and method

An energy-dissipating receptacle is disclosed for use with fluid jet cutting systems. The receptacle includes a volume of suspensoids which circulate within the cavity to at least substantially dissipate the kinetic energy of the fluid jet, together with means for automatically maintaining an effective volume of suspensoids in the cavity as the suspensoid volume is decreased by the wearing action of the fluid jet impingement. The effective volume of suspensoids are preferably maintained by means of a filler tube having a discharge end positioned within the receptacle to effectively regulate the suspensoid volume. By including means for maintaining an effective volume of suspensoids during the cutting process, the receptacle may be fabricated with compact dimensions for enhanced maneuverability when coupled to a fluid jet nozzle for coordinated movement therewith.

Compact receptacle with automatic feed for dissipating a high-velocity

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Everett, WA, United States of America

Glenn A Erichsen