Prospectus Water cutting machines Cutting Edge Technology For satisfied customers 2015 Kimblad Technology AB
Contents Contents... 2 Abrasive water cutting technology... 3 Company information... 4 Machine models... 5 Water cutting machine XY Small... 6 Water cutting machine XY Medium... 7 Water cutting machine XY Large... 8 Special machine 1x0.5m... 9 Special machine 5x20m... 10 Special machine, linear motor... 11 Special machine 6x2m... 12 Special machine 2x1, Shift table... 13 Automatic level control... 14 Control system... 15 Bevelcut 5 axis water cutting... 16 Software IGEMS... 17 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 2
Abrasive water cutting technology Clean water cutting first saw the light of day almost 30 years ago in the United States. The idea later emerged to mix in abrasives into the jet stream in the form of sand which meant that materials such as metal, stone and hard plastic could also be cut. Abrasive water cutting works in such a way that a high pressure pump provides a water pressure of approximately 4,000 bars which is pressed against a disc of industrial diamonds (known as sapphire) (fig. 1). The sapphire has a hole through which a thin jet of water with a diameter of 0.1 mm is generated. When the jet passes the focusing nozzle, the diameter increases to about 1 mm. This creates negative pressure in the mixing chamber and the abrasive is sucked in (fig. 2). Many parameters are involved in order to ensure satisfactory results. When cutting you generally make sure that you penetrate through the work piece and adjust the feeding speed in line with the required finish for the cut surface. The abrasive cutting jet cuts the material through particle erosion. Particle erosion means requires time for the jet to work through the work piece, which allows for the identification of the hole centre for future post-treatment, for example, centres for bore holes where punch marks are no longer needed, and where hole centres are always in the right position. Fig. 1 Cutter head cross-section Abrasive water cutting produces fine tolerances and fine cuts, but the cut surface is slightly conical. Today, water cutting is a well-established processing technology and is an excellent complement to both laser cutting and plasma cutting. Some of the advantages of abrasive water cutting compared to competing methods such as laser and punching include: Abrasive water cutting is a cold processing method. It therefore does not give rise to internal tensions, hot-melt edges or hardening of the work material. Fig 2 The abrasive is sucked into the jet The method is appropriate for small series as setup times are often short. Extremely thin plates and plates up to 300 mm in thickness can be cut. The greatest volume of the plates that are cut have a thickness of between 2 10 mm. Almost no restriction to the cut outline's 2D appearance. The outline is drawn using a CAD program and is transferred using CAM to the cutting panel. Small sectional forces that result in simple setups. Over the last ten years this method has grown more than any of the other competing methods. Fig. 3 The cut surface after abrasive water cutting 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 3
Company information Kimblad Technology AB was founded by Sven Kimblad in 1980. The company is located in Järfälla outside Stockholm. Kimtech manufactures and delivers complete cutting systems for abrasive water cutting. The company also provides a complete stock of spare parts for its customers. In 1980 Kimtech started to market the products of Flow in Scandinavia, the principal company in water cutting in the world. They delivered components, in cutting technology, in the form of pumps and cutting heads to other machine manufacturers. The breakthrough for water cutting came with the introduction of contour cut nappies. In the early days of water cutting only water was used. The materials you could cut were only softer materials such as nappies, paper, plastic and thin plywood. Over 20 years ago we started to add abrasives to the jets in the form of sand. In 1988 89 we produced the first abrasive cutting machine at Kimtech. It was a machine with a cutting area of 0.5 x 0.5 m, and was designed for prototype manufacture. The largest machine Kimtech has delivered to date is a machine of 20 x 5 m. The machine was delivered to one of Kimtech's largest customers, Outokumpu PSC Nordic, in Degerfors. Kimtech currently delivers machinery whose feed is powered by linear motors which gives precise positioning and vibration free operation. Of the approximately 200 cutting machines that are in operation in Sweden today, Kimtech has built and delivered about half. Kimtech has also delivered cutting equipment for about 160 machines and delivered over 200 pumps. References: Outokumpu PSC Nordic Jacquet Industries TIMET Savoie Vattenfall Forsmarks Nuclear Power Plant Vattenfall Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant EON Oskarshamns Nuclear Power Plant Harald Pihl Special Alloys Sverdrup Steel AS Marble Art Egypt Smed T Kristiansen Norsk Vannskjaering Postal address Kimblad Technology AB Box 183 SE 177 23 Järfälla, Sweden E mail info@kimtech.se Telephone +46 (0)8 584 30 190 Office address Kimblad Technology AB Slöjdvägen 25 SE 177 59 Järfälla, Sweden Website www.kimtech.se Fax +46 (0)8 580 38 650 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 4
Machine models Kimtech's philosophy is to always be able to supply machines that meet its customer's requirements and wishes. We have three standard machines that cover most applications. Kimtech also builds fully customised special machines. Standard machines XY Small XY Medium XY Large Special machines XY Mini XY X Large XY Wide XY Linear motor 2x1 m 3x2 m 3x6 m 1x0.5 m 5x20 m 6x2 m Options Automatic Height Sensor Automatic sand filling device Laser Pointer GSM-Modem Vacuum Assist 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 5
Prospectus Water cutting machine XY Small Technical specifications Adapted for 3x1.5m plates Option of automatic height control The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 6
Water cutting machine XY Medium Technical specifications Adapted for 3x1.5m plates and 4x2m plates Option of 2 jets Option of automatic height control The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 7
Water cutting machine XY Large Technical specifications Adapted for 6x2m plates and 3x1.5m plates Option of 1 3 jets Option of automatic height control The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel which comes with the cross-beam for smoother operator monitoring. Linear motor operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 8
Special machine 1x0.5m Technical specifications Adapted for small component prototype manufacture 1 jet The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 9
Special machine 5x20m 6000bar Technical specifications Adapted for Multiple plate cutting Twin cross beams with individual control systems Option of 3 jets Option of automatic height control The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on Z axes Linear motor operation on longitudinal axes and cross-beam Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 10
Special machine, linear motor Technical specifications Adapted for clean water cutting of foam plastic, insulation etc. Several jets The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Linear motor operation high accelerations and feeding speeds Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 11
Special machine 6x2m Technical specifications Adapted for 6x2 plates and 3x1.5m plates Option of 1 3 jets Option of automatic height control The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of stainless steel of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Cross-beam in stainless steel, total length 7.5m Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 12
Special machine 2x1, Shift table Technical specifications Adapted for cutting of soft material such as glass wool Option of several jets Shift table to increase productivity The control system is specially designed for water cutting Machine stand of high strength extruded aluminium profiles Ergonomic control panel Ball screw operation on all axes Water tank of stainless steel 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 13
Automatic level control Technical specifications Designed to keep the jet at a constant height above the material and to avoid collisions The sensor detects the height at intervals and there is no rubbing against the material Very low contact pressure against the material to avoid marks on the material and the cut Readily accessible for service AC servo controlled Z axis 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 14
Control system Technical specifications Software specifically designed for water cutting Touch Function Graphical colour image of NC program Option of undoing in the NC program The work zero point can be placed anywhere in the work area Job Queue function multiple programs different zero points and material Remote Control The ability to rotate the coordinate system in cases where heavy plates are incorrectly positioned in the tank Timers for measuring, for example, pipe wear Laser Pointer for easier positioning of zero point Zoom feature 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 15
Bevelcut 5 axis water cutting Bevelcut is a cutting head that enables angled cutting of flat material. Kimtech has developed a system with high precision for all types of phase cutting. This is possible by means of continuous control and correction of the nozzle's height above the material. Higher accuracy of the cutting result can be achived with TAC Taper Angle Control, which means that the jet will tilt to correct the small taper when cutting. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 16
Software IGEMS Kimtech's partners IGEMS IGEMS has been working on the development of CAM programs since the mid 1980s. Since its inception, we have developed software for cutting, turning, 3D milling and 5 axis trimming. in 1999, we took a strategic decision whereby we decided to reduce the number of products and concentrate all our development resources on one product instead; a CAD/CAM program for cutting machines designed for 2 to 5 axis cutting of flat material. The purpose of the software was to make users more effective in their work. The cutting is carried out faster and produces better results. The utilisation of the plate is increased and there should be a genuine link between administration and production. Another objective was full traceability for everything being produced, and to use the program for a mixed range of machinery featuring many different types of machine and make. Following extensive development work during which time we have had a close relationship with customers, machine builders and technical colleges, we can now present a module-based system where we can offer everything from a simple CAD program to a complete system with CAD, CAM, Nesting. MPS and sales administration may be included as different modules working in partnership. IGEMS a new CAD kernel IGEMS is structured around our in-house developed CAD kernel. We have deliberately made the system much like AutoCAD. However, IGEMS has a more modern design which includes the use of keyboard shortcuts instead of command lines. IGEMS contains all the important basic commands for drawing, changing and managing geometries, it reads and writes different file formats, including DXF and DWG. IGEMS can therefore also be used purely as a CAD program. Many commands in IGEMS are developed as plug-ins and additional features outside the kernel. This modern structure also means we can complement systems with new commands and modules. CAM-tools Option This option provides tools for solving a range of problems that may arise when working with geometries for NC preparation. Convert small short lines into circular arcs Most NC machines are unable to properly use the NC files that describe arcs and circles using small, short line segments. The reason is that the NC file can grow enormously big and line segments are so short that the machine runs irregularly. By using the "Curve fit "command, the geometry can be optimised so that short objects are converted into longer lines or arcs. It is not uncommon for curve fit optimisation to reduce the number of objects by 90 %. The command is used principally for optimisation of imported files from various graphics applications. Vectorisation This command is the opposite of a Curve fit optimisation and converts all circles and circular arcs into small short lines. The number of lines that are created is controlled by a tolerance that could be any value. The command is used mainly to create DXF files for the NC machines that are able to read line based DXF files. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 17
Deleting duplicate objects There are significantly higher requirements on CAD documentation when it is to be used for NC preparation than if it is to be used to create a hard copy drawing. A geometry for NC preparation must not consist of duplicate objects, of objects that are overlapping or of objects with gaps. Without a powerful command for geometry optimisation, users will spend many hours manually "repairing" bad geometries. In IGEMS this work can be done automatically using the "clean-up" command. The command saves so much time that it is often the reason why we sell IGEMS as a complement to an existing CAD/CAM system. Boundary polygon This command creates closed polylines from surrounding objects and can be used, for example, to create parts when cutting clinkers and logotypes. This command can also be useful when you want to take out a separate part of a compilation. Sign Maker Option This option adds commands for the generation of finished drawings for signs and logotypes. You can also create geometries from files that are created in a scanner or a camera. Letters and symbols A very important task for a plate manufacturer is the ability to produce text with different fonts. In IGEMS, we have therefore made it possible to use Windows TrueType fonts to create geometries. The range of TrueType fonts is very large, not least from the Internet, and through IGEMS you therefore have access to a huge font and symbol archive. The advantage of TrueType fonts is that they are built with splines that can be scaled up to an unlimited size without losing their accuracy. When input into IGEMS they are converted into lines and circular arcs. The transition between the input objects is very smooth and invisible, a property that gives excellent cutting results. Sign Maker Option makes IGEMS one of the best systems for plate manufacturing on the market. Use images The Image Tracer command makes it possible to use images, logotypes, or photographs as the basis for NC preparation. This means that you can quickly produce a geometry when a customer, for example, comes with a logotype on paper. Another important application is the loading of existing residual plates. What is needed is a contrasty JPG or BMP file produced in a scanner or a camera. A command is used to create a geometry that surrounds the colour fields shown in the image. This results in the lines and arcs being combined into polylines. These objects are optimised for cutting. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 18
2D CAM Option AWJ cutting requires advanced feed optimisation to be able to combine good cutting results with a short processing time. During the cutting process the cutting jets start to lag. This lag becomes greater the higher the feed speed. The lag causes major problems in directional changes and results in the geometry on the underside of the material not matching the geometry on the top. Problems increase for thicker materials and higher feed speeds. To resolve this problem, two different methods are used for AWJ cutting: 1. You can use a low feed speed so no lag arises. This method means that the cutting takes a long time. 2. Use the highest possible feed speed and then adjust the speed before and after a directional change. This method requires an advanced feed optimisation and results in a high cut quality and short processing time. IGEMS has an advanced feed optimisation that calculates the optimum cutting speed and then divides the cutting into multiple acceleration and braking distances. Settings that control the feed optimisation can be adjusted for each material, thickness, and quality. The experience gained can be stored and reused for any future work. For AWJ cutting we use a cutting standard based on 5 different cutting qualities. The cutting speed between the finest and coarsest quality is up to 500 %. In IGEMS you need never use a finer quality than necessary, as different qualities can be used in different locations. For many IGEMS users this has meant that the average cutting speed has been increased by 10 40 %, with significant time savings as a result. NC preparation of parts The first step in the NC preparation is to create NC preparation for the parts. In IGEMS this can be done using three different commands that have different degrees of automation. The Auto command prepares an entire part consisting of any number of contours fully automatically. You use the Single command to highlight one point per geometry which determines the lead in/out position and cutting order in detail. The command provides tremendous flexibility as it combines automatic and manual feed in a very powerful way. The lowest level of automation is used when you want to control the NC preparation movements in an even more detailed way, for example, when you only want to follow a few objects in a geometry or if you want to determine the cutting machine's movements by highlighting the movement coordinates. Regardless of the processing method used you always have the option of going in and adjusting the parameters used in the preparation later. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 19
NC preparation of nestings Before the NC code is created, an internal cutting order between various parts must be determined. This can be done manually or through a number of predefined algorithms. Optimised rapid transport Most of the new machines are equipped with a programmable Z axis or auto-height detection as standard. IGEMS can control the nozzle's up and down movements depending on whether rapid transport takes place over parts cut earlier or if movements are made over unprocessed safe areas. If the machine does not have Z control, rapid transport is generated to ensure that movements are made around hazardous areas. Cutting with several tools Many machines are equipped with several tools (nozzles). IGEMS can create an NC code that activates different nozzles during a single execution. The program also has the option of ending the distance between the tools during processing. Nesting Option Using the computer as help for quickly deploying various geometric figures in a document with an arbitrary geometric shape is what nesting is all about. In IGEMS, we have used one of the world's fastest nesting algorithms for solving this task. The program can nest all types of object, from a simple open line to complex geometries. The result of the nesting can be used by any CAM program, but this is of course tailored for use with the GEMS 2D CAM option. Auto-nest The command automatically places parts on one or more plates. In order to nest parts with different requirements at the same time, these parts can be provided with individual conditions. These settings can apply, for example, to how the parts can be rotated, turned upside down or if you are to allow smaller parts to be placed in the cavities of larger parts. The Nesting Option manages parts and plates with any geometric shape at the same time as the program manages all the necessary rules for how the components may be placed on the material. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 20
Report The Nesting Option provides a report generator that can be used to present the results of the nesting. This may be information on the number of parts, the names of the parts, the filling ratio, total cutting distance etc. The Nest report also deals with the parts that have been placed by ordinary CAD commands. 2015 Kimblad Technology AB 21