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air jet foam cutting?

Discussion in 'Types of CNC machines' started by jimfoltz, Apr 30, 2010.

  1. jimfoltz

    jimfoltz New Member

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    I might guess that if it could be done easily, then it would be done by now; but I thought I'd ask. I know there are machines that cut using a stream of water. So could foam be cut using air in a similar way?
     
    jimfoltz, Apr 30, 2010
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  2. cncmachineguy

    cncmachineguy Member

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    Water jets are very cool machines. They are used to cut things like cake and paper along with wood and metal. water jets use a stream of water under pressure of between 30 and 50,000 PSI. the stream is usually approx .005-.010 inches in diameter.

    It seems like it could be done, but not as versitile as waterjet.
     
    cncmachineguy, Apr 30, 2010
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  3. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    Interesting idea. I'm surprised it hasn't been done yet.
     
    3DMON, Apr 30, 2010
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  4. cncmachineguy

    cncmachineguy Member

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    i feel like it would be hard to sustain the pressure once the air hit the material
     
    cncmachineguy, Apr 30, 2010
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  5. jimfoltz

    jimfoltz New Member

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    Yeah, I imagine it might take a bit more than "shop air" pressure, which requires more air (and time and and energy) to pressurize than water does.

    Maybe put a little sand in the air - that would cut it quick. :lol:

    Or maybe you just need to heat the air...
     
    jimfoltz, Apr 30, 2010
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  6. Gefahren

    Gefahren Member

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    I'm sure it can be done, but air doesn't have the mass of water so you'd have to have alot of velocity to get it to really cut. Also it seems the air wouldn't stay in a nice stream once it hit the material so the cut wouldn't be very clean.
     
    Gefahren, Apr 30, 2010
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  7. Anonymous

    Anonymous New Member

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    I don't know about cutting paper and cake, but on the water-jet machines used to cut metals , the stream of water exits the orifice faster than the speed of sound. They are VERY noisy, and the newer machines actually have the sheet of metal in a pool of water, so the jet is actually exiting the orifice underwater also. They do this to significantly reduce the noise.
    Also, with a water-jet, the stream of water can bounce from the surface and reflect out over the sheet of metal, slicing into the wall or the machinist running the machine. :eek: Performing the operations underwater eliminates this problem also.
    I don't know if air-knives have the same issues, but I would definitely get a complete education before I turned one on. :geek:
     
    Anonymous, Apr 30, 2010
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  8. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    This is weird! I was at my cousins shop not to long ago and in one of the shops in the industrial area had a water laser there. Watching that cut was amazing indeed. It was going through the 1/4 aluminum like nothing. I was told that it could cut through 2" thick steel! They told me that lasers do not handle well with reflective metals and cannot cut through metals this thick and cut this clean this fast.
    That's when I starting thinking about this same thing you guys are discussing, I asked my cousin and he said a lot of what I am hearing here that the air would have to be forced so hard that it would take a major compressor. Looking at the ram compressor for the water jet shows just how powerful they have to be to make it happen. That thing took up a room by itself!
    I think it could be done on a smaller scale and get great results for foam cutting even with air and maybe a little abrasive powder. But for wood and harder materials we would need more compression tapered to a finer nozzle tip.
    This would make a great project and I would love to see if we can get it to work!
    Mark and Trish
     
    kram242, Apr 30, 2010
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  9. Ampair

    Ampair New Member

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    Maybe condensed hot air from political speeches? That does have a problem with focus though.
     
    Ampair, May 2, 2010
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  10. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    :lol:
     
    kram242, May 2, 2010
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  11. TigerPilot

    TigerPilot Well-Known Member

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    Wouldn't work, not enough substance to compress. ;)
     
    TigerPilot, May 2, 2010
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  12. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    :lol: You guys are too much!
     
    kram242, May 2, 2010
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