Water Jet

• Raeedah Alsayoud

I created two identical diamond shapes using a water jet for this project.

Steps: 

  1. Downloaded diamond shapes template and created file using Adobe illustrator
  2. Downloaded picture from the noun project
  3. Used shape building tool to connect the picture with a diamond, so every line and shape are combined
  4.  Using the ProtoMax waterjet
    1. Open ProtoMax layout
    2. import from other CAD (ai file)
    3. clean up
    4. check size
    5. post to export
    6. choose the start point of cut  
  5. turn on the water jet
  6. set up the metal
  7. Open ProtoMax software
    1. file
    2. open
    3. select file
    4. jog the tool
    5. chose the thickness of the metal
    6. set the distance of the nozzle to metal
    7. check the water and sand
  8. begin machining
      1. dry run to test before the cut
    2.  Start the cut
    3.        
  9. post-process using the three (3) methods
    1. Sandblasting
      1.            
    2. files

 

 

c. Painting

First try – first layer

 

Second try – first layer

     

10. After finishing the first painting layer, I added stickers using a Vinyl cutter.

     

a. paints the second layer with black color

First try – second layer

   

Second try- second layer

Front

 

Back

11.  clear coat and final look

       

Problems and Improvements: 

  • The first problem was the metal did not cut propriety, and I understood the reason later. I should first decide if my piece is aluminum or steel using the magnetic, and the sand was less than the requirements.

     

  • The biggest issue I had during this project was the painting. The first trial was failed because of the painting. After painting one side, I thought it was already dry; I filliped to the other side to paint after one whole day. When I came back, I realized it was not fully dry. I sandblasted again to take the paints over. I came up with a different idea to avoid painting issues: use heat guns, which was not a good idea based on (pic 1) color moved and getting bubbles. So, I tried again by creating something to hold the metal on both sides simultaneously to fully dry (pic 2), where I realized It’s hard to paint when I hang them up. I use it at the end to hang the metal and ensure it fully dries before the next step. I decided to re-do everything from the beginning because painting three times made it hard to sandblast (pic.3). I created new diamonds, filing and sandblasting them. I asked Luke about painting and what I was doing wrong: I put too much paint with several layers, that’s why was not fully dry after the entire day. He refreshed my mind about the methods we learned in class and how to paint. I painted the first layer, dried it in 15 min, and did the second side. However, on the second side, I could not use two stickers since the OEDK did not have enough, I used tape, but the paints got over it (pic.4), and I thought I could fix it by putting the tape in the middle and re-painting with white, which was a bad idea.
  • Ultimately, having a mistake and learning to solve it is one way to stick in my head. Making all these mistakes taught me a lot and made me feel more confident using water jet and paint.
  •    

Pic. 1

Pic.2

Pic.3

   

Pic.4

 

Cost:

The total cost is $63.89

  1. Materials: total $27.89 
    1. Metal = $14.93
    2. UltraCover paint (Black and white)= $6.48 +6.48 
  2. Machine time:  one hour and 45 min
    1. Water jet 45 min, second time was 50 min
    2. cut the diamond shapes 2.5 min each = 10 min for four diamond
  3. Labor: around 3 hours and each hour is $14 = 36 
    1. Adobe illustrator – 30 min 
    2. Sandblasting-  50 min, second time was 30 min
    3. filed- 8 min and 39 sec, second time was 9 min 52 sec
    4. paints and Vinyl Cover, and waiting to dry to complete the other side – 60 min
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