Water Jetting

Guide on how to use the ProtoMAX water jet in the Richards shop.

Download the Software

Follow this link and start the download process:
https://www.omax.com/libraries/omax/download/?srsltid=AfmBOop17lQhQaWEPGZ_Yzjimbz8PT23wkEOWm8y1wOeG9VxG-mrN-3S
When this box appears click next with the default options selected:

Follow through with the installation and finish.
You should see ProtoMAX LAYOUT on your desktop. This is the app we use to turn .dxf’s into OMX tool path files.

Open your part in SolidWorks and save as a .dxf with the outline of what you want cut out
Open ProtoMAX LAYOUT
Go to File > Import from other CAD and open the .dxf you just saved

Make sure the part looks correct. Notice how the part will be in green lines.

Click the AutoPath command to generate a toolpath. Your cuts will turn pink, lead in/out will be orange, and traverses will be green.

You can move or swap the direction of lead ins/outs by right clicking on the Lead i/o tool.
Click Set Zero and select the point on the grid where you want your part origin to be. It will show up as a white + sign.
Click on the Post button on the right and then select which of the two end points of the toolpath that you want to be the start.
Make sure that the red highlighting (cut) is on the correct side of the pink lines (your .dxf lines)

Click save. This will create a .omx file save in the same folder where your .dxf is saved. Put this .omx file on a USB drive and bring to the waterjet.

Open the laptop connected to the machine and open the ProtoMAX MAKE software. Make sure the USB is connecting the machine to the laptop.
Click on the red home button to move the nozzle of the machine to its home point.
Set the machine zero to this home position by clicking zero for the User Home position. (User Home is the machine’s zero and Path Start is the zero of your part’s cut path)

Put your stock on the bed of the machine lining the bottom left corner up with the machine’s bottom and secure it down. (For fusible links, use the small magnets to hold the nickel down.)

Jog the nozzle using the arrow keys to put it where you want the path zero to be then click zero for the Path Start position.

Right click on Begin Machining > Begin. Right click on Start > Dry run at full speed. Make sure the nozzle won’t hit any work holding.
Loosen the black knob and use the 0.075” feeler gauge to set the nozzle height to 0.075” above the material.

Make sure the garnet tube is connected to nozzle head and flip yellow guard down.

Close lid
Run. Make sure you can see the red garnet going through the tube from the hopper into the machine. (If you don’t see this and the part is not being cut, follow steps below for unclogging the nozzle.

Tell Abby or Jeffrey if this happens so someone can help if its you’re first time encountering this problem
Disconnect garnet tube from nozzle head and from hopper
Blow air through the garnet tube from the hopper side to the nozzle side to get any water out
Pull yellow guard down and off of the nozzle
Use green-handled in-line torque wrench to loosen thumb screw and wiggle the nozzle out
Make sure machine head is positioned between two slats of the bed. Run a cutting head test to clear out head of waterjet. You should still have the garnet line disconnected so just water is pushed through.
Reinstall nozzle upside down in the head of the machine. Tighten thumb screw with the torque wrench.
Run another cutting head test to clear out the nozzle. Make sure the flow appears uniform.
Reinstall nozzle correctly in the machine. Reconnect the garnet tubes.
Run a final cutting head test making sure you see garnet being sucked through the tube from the hopper.
If you still do not see garnet in the tube, there is probably a water clog at the bottom of the hopper. Take the hopper off of its mount and dump the garnet on the top that is definitely dry back into the bucket of extra garnet. Discard the small amount of garnet at the bottom that might be wet. Use the air gun to blow out the metal attachment at the bottom of the hopper.