Mitsubishi’s entry-level waterjet machine, the MWX3, features a solid-base construction and cantilever head design to increase reliability and affordability for production-environment applications. A Mitsubishi 720 CNC control delivers advanced programming capabilities, and a 15" waterproof screen features improved graphics and an NC design for simplified operation. Menu and help functions are designed to easily guide the operator through both programming and workpiece setup, the company says.
The waterjet also features a high-pressure S-50 KMT pump, which provides 60,000 psi of water traveling up to Mach 2 with 1.09 gpm of water consumption through a maximum orifice size of 0.013". The reciprocating hydraulic piston to ceramic water piston ratio is 20:1, pushing the water into an accumulator that is said to maintain a smooth, even flow to the cutting nozzle.
Once seen as a specialty machine tool, the CNC Swiss-type is increasingly being used in shops that are full of more conventional CNC machines. For the newcomer to Swiss-type machining, here is what the learning curve is like.
To meet the extreme tolerance of the telescope’s beryllium mirrors, the manufacturer had to rely on stable horizontal machining centers with a high degree of consistency volumetric accuracy.
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