Above: A recent installation of a Jet Edge Mid Rail Series 8-foot by 13-foot waterjet machine with dual programmable 3-axis cutting heads.
April, 2026- After operating an abrasive waterjet machine from Jet Edge Waterjet Systems in St. Michael, Minnesota, on extended two-shift intervals at least four days a week for about 16 years, accruing nearly 60,000 hours of run time, DRT Precision Manufacturing LLC in Midland, North Carolina, purchased another Jet Edge waterjet as a direct replacement. Jason Lupole, sales support manager for the company, says, “It’s been a bear. We really, really used it. I’m pleased that we made the original machine last as long as we did.”
DRT offers contract, custom manufacturing for low-volume, high-complexity components for a variety of industries, including commercial cooling, energy, medical and safety, at its 35,000-square-foot facility with over 25 employees. The manufacturer also has two Ohio locations in Sidney and Miamisburg.
Before acquiring its first waterjet, Lupole says the shop purchased waterjet-cut blanks from local suppliers and then formed them on a press brake. DRT sought to bring waterjet cutting in house and saw a Jet Edge exhibit at a trade show in Charlotte, North Carolina. The machine on exhibit had an 8-foot by 13-foot table, which DRT purchased from the show floor, reducing the freight charge.
The Mid Rail Series waterjet has an IP55- 100 intensifier pump that is rated at a pressure of 55,000 psi, Lupole notes. “For the most part, it runs at capacity but there might be times where we do scale it back, depending on the work.”
The machine came with two 3-axis cutting heads, but eventually the company added a third head to increase throughput. There is an option to add a fourth head if desired, he adds. “We love the fact that you can, with three heads, get three parts off in the same amount of time it takes to run one.”
A Jet Edge 5-axis Mid Rail Series waterjet cuts a 1.5-inch copper nickel ring (right) with a freshly cut 4.5-inch copper nickel ring.
SIZE CALCULATIONS
The heads are on a spreader bar that is mounted to the Z-axis assembly, and the heads are set at a specific distance, such as for an 8-, 10- or 12-foot-long sheets. “Depending on that length, you have an even split between them.”
The waterjet cuts a lot of aluminum from 0.02 inch to 1 inch thick, as well as carbon and stainless steel, Lupole says. “The thickest we’ve attempted, quite honestly, is 1¼-inch thick high-nickel stainless. We can cut that. You have to run a little bit slower, but I think this new model might allow us to cut it faster.”
Based on the additional pump capacity with the new system, the cutting feed rate capability may increase by 20 percent and, while it is not needed for DRT’s application, similarly configured machines are processing materials in excess of 12 inches thick at other customer sites, according to Jet Edge.
DRT also cuts composite materials, being mindful where it pierces the workpiece to avoid delamination, as well as rubber parts without garnet, he explains. “You just shut the abrasive off and run high-pressure water only.”
CLEAN AND SAFE
To filter the water the machine uses, he says the waterjet has Jet Edge’s closed-loop filtration system to recirculate and reuse the water. The machine tool builder reports that the ecofriendly system reduces water and sewage costs, prevents the introduction of hazardous materials into drainage systems, maximizes pump performance and eliminates the need for a drain.
The waterjet table overflows into a settling weir, and the used garnet is settled out before entering the filtration system. Clean water is then delivered back to the pump. Used in conjunction with the filtration system, DRT installed an in-line chiller to cool treated water and return it to the high-pressure pumps at the recommended temperature.
Lupole says DRT consumes about 22,000 pounds of garnet monthly, and while the first waterjet has an automatic abrasive removal system, the machine required some occasional downtime to manually remove garnet from the catch tank. Given the improvements in the design of the abrasive removal systems over the years since the first purchase, DRT is excited the new machine will eliminate manual abrasive removal.
According to Jet Edge, its abrasive removal system removes spent garnet, and the selfdumping hopper receives the sludge so that clean water can be returned to the catch tank.
When it comes to software for operating the waterjet, he emphasizes the ease of learning and using IGEMS, which is specialized software designed exclusively for waterjet cutting systems that is tailored to address the requirements and capabilities of waterjet technology.
Materials that are flat and require straight cuts across the X and Y planes utilize 2D cutting, and Lupole explains that flat development is exported into a DXF file and the DXF file is imported into the IGEMS software. “You can manually figure out the nesting if you want, but the software will automatically do it for you to give you the best material yield.”
BENEFITS OF NEW
DRT’s initial Jet Edge waterjet proved to be a workhorse, and as company leaders look to the future, anticipating a continued increase in demand, they decided this was a good time to upgrade to a new machine with added capability. As DRT operates with a high utilization expectation, it isn’t a surprise the machine has needed maintenance from time to time, but, Lupole says, “It always seems to come back up and run the way we needed it to.”
The Jet Edge waterjet machine DRT purchased in 2010.
Nonetheless, with the new waterjet, he expects to increase feed rates by about 20 percent, eliminate more than 400 hours of maintenance-related downtime and recover approximately1,300 hours of production annually. “It opens up our capacity with the increased throughput we’re going to gain. It’s going to be more efficient.”
Each carriage on this Jet Edge Mid Rail Series waterjet operates independently, double teaming a single part or cutting two like parts simultaneously.
CONTROLS
Aaron Montello, president of Jet Edge, notes that DRT’s new waterjet will have a Hero 150+ intensifier pump, which is equipped with a 150-horsepower electric motor and able to produce a flow rate of more than three gallons per minute. Compared to DRT’s old 100- horsepower pump, the new one will enable the company to use larger orifice and nozzle combinations for increased output.
In addition, the machine will include the Jet Smart+ controls, which enable accurate pressure set-point controls and additional feedback and monitoring capabilities. The MR813 triple- carriage waterjet cutting system provides a 104-square-foot work envelope, three independently controlled cutting heads to triple the throughput, a linear positional accuracy of ±0.001 inch, and a 500-ipm rapid travel.
The new Aquavision iQ control system features a 24-inch touchscreen human/ machine interface with streamlined workflows, Montello adds. Enhanced features and capabilities include a new job queue to minimize setup time, CAM programming capabilities directly on the machine and additional monitoring for ease and limiting of system maintenance.
“We’ve had really good luck and a really good relationship with Jet Edge,” Lupole says. “We’re looking for another 10, 15 years out of this one, maybe more.”
Montello states, “This represents the type of customer expectation and use-case that Jet Edge equipment is designed forwhere high utilization over a long duration is the expectation, and uptime is a non-negotiable.”
DRT Precision Manufacturing LLC, 704/781-4001, drtprecisionmfg.com
Jet Edge Waterjet Systems, 800/538-3343, jetedgewaterjets.com
