At dtiEXACT™, we manufacture high-quality waterjet orifices for use in the cleaning and waterjet cutting industries. We supply a line of waterjet orifices made with a selection of reliable materials, including diamond, ruby, and sapphire. Each of these materials offers numerous benefits, and dtiEXACT™’s solutions offer unique advantages that make our products consistently dependable.
Diamond Orifices
Many applications use diamond waterjet orifices, which produce a jet stream that’s more cohesive than either sapphire or ruby. Because of this, diamond orifices tend to yield longer mixing-tube life, along with higher cutting power. Diamond orifices work with equipment of 40k to 100k PSI, and certain applications use them to perform long cuts on more expensive materials that may otherwise be destroyed due to mid-cut orifice failure by other less precise orifice types.
Our Premium dtiCORE™ Diamond orifice is the most superior diamond orifices available. Made from the world’s most flawless diamonds, these orifices are devoid of fractures, inclusions, or carbon spots. This enables them to withstand water pressures as high as 100,000 PSI, without experiencing any wear or erosion.
Benefits
Advantages of diamond orifices include:
Over 1,000 hours of life in ultra high-pressure environments
The most durable orifice available
No degradation of the orifice ID edge
Optimum edge quality and cutting precision
Fastest cutting speeds
Minimal downtime
Maximizes the lifespan of surrounding cutting head components
Uses minimal garnet
Superior alignment of orifices
Ideal jet stream length
Dependable cutting performance
Design
The design of diamond waterjet orifices feature:
Premium performance using a combination of orifice types within a large variety of mounts and cutting heads
Long jet streams and optimum coherency
Robust material integrity
Compatibility with a wide variety of applications
Precision alignment for extending cutting head component life and providing top-quality cuts
Performance Grade Diamond (tetraCORE™)
dti EXACT’s tetraCORE™ features a grade of superhard material with a strategically structured atomic lattice. Its design provides a durable and tough tetrahedral bond which is impervious to corrosion, unsusceptible to fractures, promoting long product life and reduced operating costs. This material both outperforms and outlasts other more expensive, inauthentic, and inferior lab-grown diamonds.
Benefits
The benefits of our tetraCORE™ products include:
10-15 times longer lifespan compared to ruby and sapphire
Two to three times longer lifespan than typical PCD
A binderless structure that prevents premature erosion of edges
Improved jet stream consistency
Lower operational costs
Predictable wear during the product’s lifetime
Superior durability in harsh high pressure environments
Reduced requirements for supervision
Sapphire Orifices
Sapphire waterjet orifices work for applications with less critical requirements because they are more susceptible to damage in certain high-pressure applications.
At dtiExact™, we manufacture sapphire orifices of the highest quality in the waterjet industry. Depending on our customers’ needs, we offer both standard or custom sizes and integrate them into a variety of assembly styles.
Benefits
Some of the key benefits and considerations of sapphire orifices include:
Rigid corundum construction
A 9.0 rating on the Mohs hardness scale
Life expectancy to an average of 40 hours of life from immediate failure
Orifice ID edge degradation resulting from high pressure use and/or impacts
Compatibility for most applications of 60k PSI or less
Design
Sapphire orifices feature several unique design elements, such as:
Internal geometries initially intended for pure water cutting
Sharp edge internal dimension technology
Long, coherent jet streams with more vulnerability to debris impact than diamond or ruby
Lacks precise alignment
Ruby Orifices
Ruby waterjet orifices are similar in their properties to sapphire orifices. Like sapphire orifices, they are ideal for lower-demanding applications because they are prone to becoming damaged unpredictability because of their pink/red tint, it is simple to discern a ruby nozzle. The industry typically produces ruby with an inlet more conducive to abrasive cutting therefore they tend to hold up in high-pressure applications better than sapphire.
dtiEXACT™ offers both standard and custom ruby orifice assemblies based on your specifications, with some of the best materials available to meet your application’s unique requirements.
Benefits
Ruby orifices offer the following features:
9.0 rating on the Mohs hardness scale
A lifespan of anywhere from immediate failure up to 40 hours
Less coherent jet streams that continue to degrade as the product experiences wear
Degradation of the orifice ID edge throughout the product’s life
Applicable for systems using 60k PSI or less
Design
Design elements of ruby orifices include:
A more robust inlet flare compared to “sharp edge” orifices
Originally designed for abrasive cutting
Shorter jetstream length but an increase in vacuum for pulling in abrasive
More capable of withstanding debris impact compared to sapphire
No precision alignment
Superior Waterjet Orifices at dti EXACT
For applications requiring consistently reliable waterjet orifices, turn to the experts at dti EXACT. We produce industry-leading orifices using our 30,000-square-foot of manufacturing space, with ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certification backing each product. We work with many types of materials, including ultra-hard products, and provide servicing runs from prototype to the production phase.
Regardless of your needs, we are here to serve as your number-one supplier for waterjet orifices. You can learn more about our waterjet orifice products at dti INSIDE or contact us today for more information.
Many parts and products can be produced through machining processes. However, it is important to select the process(es) utilized for production carefully to ensure your machined components fully meet the requirements and restrictions of your application. Given the wide range of machining options available, it can be difficult to choose the right one(s), but an experienced manufacturing partner—such as dti EXACT™—can help you navigate the selection process.
At dti EXACT, we offer contract machining and manufacturing services. Armed with vast experience and top-of-the-line equipment, we have what it takes to deliver quality solutions for all small, complex, and precision component needs. Our expert team can help you evaluate your specifications and identify which machining process(es) you will need to turn your idea into reality. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most common machining processes and outlined key considerations to keep in mind when vetting your options to serve as a helpful machining process and material selection guide.
Common Machining Processes
Machining is a broad term encompassing manufacturing processes that turn a workpiece into the desired component by removing material. Some of the most commonly used are:
Swiss Machining
Swiss machining is a machining process generally used to create small, complex, and precise components in high volumes. Compared to traditional lathe processes, it offers tighter part tolerances, faster tooling changes, a lower chance of part deflection, and a smaller need for secondary processing, all of which can lead to increased productivity and profitability for the manufacturer.
This machining process can accommodate a variety of metal and non-metal materials. Examples include aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, steel, and plastic. When selecting a material for Swiss machining operations, it is vital to consider how different factors will affect the overall project, including with regard to machining speed, retooling frequency, and production cost.
CNC Turning
Computer numerical control (CNC) turning is a machining process that utilizes a combination of software and hardware to control the motions and actions of machine tools and workpieces. The stationary machine tool(s) remove(s) excess material from a rotating workpiece to create the desired component. Compared to manual turning methods, it offers better precision, faster speeds, higher efficiency, and safer operator conditions, resulting in high-quality components that are made cost-effectively and time-effectively.
This machining process can be used for various metal and non-metal materials. Examples include alloy steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, carbon steel, copper, stainless steel, titanium, UHMW, and other plastics.
Vertical Milling
Vertical milling is the most common milling method. It uses milling machines with vertically oriented spindles to hold and rotate the cutting tool(s) against the stationary workpiece to remove excess material. It offers a number of advantages over horizontal milling, including greater visibility during operations, easier use requirements, and lower equipment costs.
Laser Cutting & Drilling
Laser cutting and drilling are manufacturing processes that utilize high-powered lasers to form cuts and holes on a workpiece. Compared to conventional cutting and drilling processes, they offer greater accuracy and precision, shorter lead times, and broader design freedom.
These processes are excellent for thin or thick materials. They can easily create cuts or holes in metals and other materials that would be difficult to process using other methods, such as diamonds.
Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutting is a manufacturing process that uses high-pressure waterjets to cut a workpiece into the desired shape and size. It offers a variety of advantages over other cutting processes, such as better edge quality, higher cutting accuracy, and lower risk of thermal distortion.
This manufacturing process can be utilized for a range of materials, including metals, plastics, wood, and stone. It is highly effective at cutting hard or thick workpieces that would be too difficult for other methods, such as heat treated alloy steel.
Selection Considerations for Machining Processes
While all machining processes produce components by removing excess material from the workpiece, each has distinct benefits and limitations that make it suitable for different manufacturing projects. The trick to choose the right process(es) for a project is evaluating all of these benefits and limitations and selecting the machining method(s) that best suit(s) your needs. Some of the factors to consider when evaluating your options include:
Complexity: The machining process(es) you choose should be able to accommodate your component design, whether it is simple or complex.
Tolerances: The machining process(es) you choose should be able to produce your components to your specifications, including with regard to tolerances.
Timeframes: The machining process(es) you choose should be able to generate the parts/products you need in the volumes you need within the timeframe you need them.
Budget: The two main costs associated with manufacturing projects are tooling cost and part cost. It is important you choose a machining process whose cost of tooling and part production fit within your project budget.
Material: The machining process(es) you choose should be able to handle the materials you select, whether they are hard or soft and thick or thin. At dti EXACT, we can machine various materials, including aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steel, specialty alloys, plastics, and diamond. We can work with you to find the best material for your project.
Contact the Machining Experts at dti EXACT Today
Selecting the right machining process and material can be challenging. Fortunately, the machining experts at dti EXACT are here to help. As an experienced contract machining and manufacturing service provider, we have the knowledge and skills needed to help customers in virtually any industry devise a solution that meets their tight tolerances, high standards, and short timelines. You can trust us to make your next precision machining project a success.
If you have any additional questions or concerns about machining processes and materials, contact us today. We would be happy to answer or address them. Request a quote to discuss your project specifications with one of our representatives.
