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- Written by Simon Arthur
- Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog
Do: Begin your design with waterjet in mind.
It’s best to take into consideration the flexibility and limitations of the waterjet right from the start. That way you don’t have to start over and potentially re-design an entire assembly to work with custom waterjet cut parts.
Don’t: Place cutting lines too close together, especially on thin material stock.
Placing cutting lines too close together can cause vibration in the thin section, leading to the cutting stream breaking through across the face of the part. 1/16 inch (0.063” or about 1.5 mm) is a safe distance between features for even thin stock material.
Do: Create a DXF file of the final outline.
Waterjets work best with 2D vector files showing exactly the outline of the part, scaled 1:1. DXF is the file format most used with waterjet cutting machines. Nearly all CAD software supports export to DXF.
Don’t: Put secondary operations or instructions in the final DXF file.
The DXF file for manufacturing with waterjet cutting should contain only the outline of the part to be waterjet cut, scaled 1:1. If you do need a CAD file with more operations or instructions, save that in a separate file.
Do: Select a waterjet appropriate material.
While waterjet cutting can work with a huge variety of metals, plastics, woods, and composites, make sure your material won’t shatter or delaminate when being cut. Any material that can’t stand some exposure to water, like cardboard, won’t work with waterjet. On the other hand, most metals, including stainless steel and heat treated aluminum, are ideal for waterjet cutting.
Don’t: Leave open or crossed lines in your CAD file.
When drawing your part in a 2D CAD program, make sure that all of the endpoints of your lines, arcs, and splines meet around the perimeter of the part. Without these entities making a closed loop, the waterjet cutting machine can’t determine the outline of the part.
Do: Verify your dimensions
When working with DXF drawings, it’s easy to make a mistake with the scale and accidentally make a drawing that’s 2:1 or 4:1, or a drawing that’s in millimeters instead of inches (or vice-versa). That’s why it’s important to check the overall size of the part using Big Blue Saw’s online quoting system before ordering.
Don’t: Use raster (bitmap/PNG/GIF/JPEG) files for designs that need high precision.
Raster files can be very convenient if you’re used to editing in a program like Windows Paint or Photoshop. This works great for decorative pieces, signs, and artwork. However, when designing with a bitmap editor, you’re limited by the resolution of the pixels. When designing parts of a machine or mechanical assembly, it’s best to stick with a vector based editor or CAD program for maximum accuracy.
Do: Design for waterjet kerf and cutting accuracy.
Keep in mind that the kerf (cutting diameter) of the waterjet is about 0.04 inches or 1 mm. This means that the waterjet can’t make holes or slots smaller than that size. Additionally, your design should take into consideration the cutting accuracy of the waterjet and the waterjet taper (and use low-taper waterjet cutting if appropriate).
Don’t: Forget to add a finishing operation to make the parts look and perform their best.
If your parts need to be touched by an operator or will be visible in the final assembly, make sure that you choose a finishing option like GlassBlast or PadPrep finish to make sure your parts look their best and are free of burrs.
Wrapping Up
With these tips in mind, you're ready to place your first order for custom waterjet cut parts from Big Blue Saw. Just upload your design to our online quoting and ordering system to get started. More questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions list. Still need help? Contact us.
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- Written by Super User
- Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog
Here it is: Big Blue Saw's sale on 0.12 inch stainless steel 304. Stainless steel's combination of strength and corrosion resistance makes this a sale not to be missed. Simply place your order online for waterjet cut parts Thursday, October 10, or Friday, October 11, and you will automatically receive a quantity discount.
If you've never used our service before, this is a great time to start turning your designs into custom parts.
Questions and Answers about Big Blue Saw's Sale On 0.12 Inch Stainless Steel
- What is on sale?
Custom parts from your designs made using waterjet stainless steel 304 alloy in 0.12 inch (0.12" or 11 gauge or about 3.048 mm) thickness. Low-taper is not on sale. - How much will I save?
Orders as small as 1 part will automatically receive the quantity 10 discounted price. The dollar amount depends on the design and quantity ordered. - How can I order with the sale price?
Just upload your design to our online quoting and ordering system, and check out through the website shopping cart. You will automatically receive the discount price when placing your order. No need to use coupon codes or other tricks. - I don't have a design. How can I make one?
Use your favorite CAD or vector image software. If you don't have this kind of software, check out our list of free or low-cost alternatives. Or read about how to format PNG and GIF files for use with Big Blue Saw. - I didn't hear about your sale until just now and don't have time to get my design ready. When is your next sale?
Sign up for our mailing list to get early notifications about the next sale. - I have special requirements for shipping, secondary machining, or rush processing my order. Can I still get the sale price?
To get the sale price, orders must be placed through the website. So typically we cannot accommodate special requests for sale parts.
Remember, this sale ends 11:59 PM on Friday, October 11, so get started by uploading your designs now.
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- Written by Super User
- Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog
This past Friday, Bite Force, featuring custom waterjet cut parts from Big Blue Saw, was once again crowned champion of BattleBots!
Paul Ventimiglia and the APTYX Designs team defeated Witch Doctor to win the Giant Nut for the 3rd time! Congratulations to the team once again.
To celebrate, Big Blue Saw is offering 30% off on all orders placed online for waterjet cutting! Just place any waterjet cutting order online for $300 or more, and receive a 30% discount when using coupon code BB2019. Use code WIN3 to get 10% off any online waterjet cutting order of $150 or more. Upload your design now and be sure to tell your friends!
Hurry, the offer ends at 11:59 PM Wednesday, October 2.
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- Written by Super User
- Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog
This week, save on our most popular material in the most popular thickness! We're having a sale from Wednesday, August 21, through Friday, August 23.
Just order your custom waterjet cut parts made from aluminum 6061 alloy in ⅛ inch thickness (that's 0.125" or 3.175 mm) though our online quoting and ordering system, and you'll automatically receive a quantity discount, even when you order as little as 1 part.
Questions and Answers about Big Blue Saw's Sale
- What is on sale?
Custom parts from your designs made using aluminum alloy 6061 in 0.125 inch (⅛" or 3.175 mm) thickness.
Low-taper is not on sale. - How much will I save?
Orders as small as 1 part will automatically receive the quantity 10 discounted price. The dollar amount depends on the design and quantity ordered. - How can I order with the sale price?
Just upload your design to our online quoting and ordering system, and check out through the website shopping cart. You will automatically receive the discount price when placing your order. No need to use coupon codes or other tricks. - I don't have a design. How can I make one?
Use your favorite CAD or vector image software. If you don't have this kind of software, check out our list of free or low-cost alternatives. Also, be sure to read about how to format your CAD files for use with Big Blue Saw. - I didn't hear about your sale until just now and don't have time to get my design ready. When is your next sale?
Sign up for our mailing list to get early notifications about the next sale. - I have special requirements for shipping, secondary machining, or rush processing my order. Can I still get the sale price?
To get the sale price, orders must be placed through the website. So typically we cannot accommodate special requests for sale parts.
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- Written by Super User
- Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog
We are now halfway through the BattleBots 2019 season. Let's take a look at the robots featuring custom parts from Big Blue Saw and see how they're faring.
Texas Twister 2-0
This new robot from a veteran team has won its first two matches, including one convincing knockout.
Bite Force 2-0
Returning champion Bite Force is off to a great start, winning its first two matches, one by knockout.
Minotaur 2-3
After a slow start, Minotaur managed to reach the finals of the Desperado tournament. They've got some momentum, so they're one to keep an eye on.
Bloodsport 1-1
This rookie team has proven that their robot packs a powerful punch, defeating veteran team Lucky.
P1 0-1
P1 is off to a slow start, losing to Sidewinder by KO. They're tweaking their drive and weapon system and will be back for more.
Extinguisher 0-0
Sadly, we have yet to see the powerful hammer and slick paint job of Extinguisher in action. They ARE scheduled for future fights, so keep your eyes open.
Overall, robots sponsored by Big Blue Saw now have a record of 7-5 in the BattleBots 2019 tournament. Need custom parts that are as tough as these BattleBots? Get an instant quote on custom parts now!