Submerged Fluid Jet Cutting System for Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fluid jet cutting systems often generate excessive noise and suffer from conditions like fluid splashback, creating an unfavorable work environment due to the gap between the workpiece and the jet receiving devices.

Innovation Solution

A fluid jet cutting system incorporating a multiaxial industrial robot with a submerged tank and adjustable fluid jet cutting heads that dissipate the fluid jet within the tank, minimizing noise and splashback by aligning the fluid jet path with the central axis of the receptacle and using a vacuum source for abrasive entrainment and fluid withdrawal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a gap exists between the workpiece and jet receiving devices, then the fluid jet can effectively pass through the workpiece, but excessive noise and fluid splashback occur creating an unfavorable work environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise and fluid splashbackVSAvoidwork environment quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces water as an intermediary substance filling the gap between the workpiece and the jet receiving device. This water layer acts as a mediator that absorbs the fluid jet's energy, prevents direct contact between the high-velocity jet and the receiving device, thereby eliminating noise and fluid splashback while maintaining effective cutting operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and distribution of water in the system. By submerging the workpiece in water and maintaining a water-filled gap, the system transforms the air gap environment into a water-filled environment, which fundamentally changes how the fluid jet interacts with the workpiece and receiving device, eliminating harmful noise and splashback effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of energy

If the fluid jet dissipates in a large volume of water in a catcher tank, then energy is effectively dissipated, but the system occupies excessive space and becomes less compact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid jet energy dissipationVSAvoidcatcher tank volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the state of water from a contained liquid in a large tank to a pressurized flow system. By continuously circulating water through the workpiece and using the fluid jet's own pressure to drive the circulation, the system achieves effective energy dissipation without requiring a large stationary water volume, thus maintaining system compactness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the fluid jet's own kinetic energy and pressure to circulate the water through the workpiece and back to the receiving device. The fluid jet itself serves as the pumping force, eliminating the need for external pumps and large water reservoirs, thereby reducing system volume while maintaining effective energy dissipation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system reduces noise pollution and eliminates or minimizes disruptive work conditions, such as fluid splashback, by effectively managing the fluid jet within a submerged environment and optimizing the alignment and orientation of the fluid jet receptacle.

Implementation Method 1

a high pressure fluid jet... cuts through the workpiece

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJet Erosion: Jet Erosion

Implementation Method 2

dissipates within a region of the fluid in the tank... excessive noise... conditions like fluid splashback

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP3862154B1Fluid jet cutting system
Publication Date: 2024.09.04 FLOW INTERNATIONAL CORP
  • EP3862154B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3862154B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3862154B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

It is provided a fluid jet cutting system (110, 210), comprising: a multiaxial industrial robot (112, 212) having an end effector (115, 215) to grip a workpiece (114, 214) to be processed, the multiaxial industrial robot (112, 212) configured to selectively move the workpiece within a working envelope defined by a range of motion of the multiaxial industrial robot (112, 212); a tank (122, 222) positioned within the working envelope of the multiaxial industrial robot (112, 212) to enable the workpiece (114, 214) to be submerged under fluid within the tank (122, 222) during a workpiece processing operation; and at least one fluid jet cutting head (118, 119, 218) having an orifice (130) to generate a high pressure fluid jet (132, 232) and a fluid jet outlet (134) from which to discharge the high pressure fluid jet (132, 232), characterized in that the cutting head (118, 119, 218) is located relative to the tank (122, 222) such that, during the workpiece processing operation, the high pressure fluid jet (132, 232) discharges from the fluid jet outlet (134) beneath an upper surface of the fluid within the tank (122, 222), cuts through the workpiece, and dissipates within a region of the fluid in the tank (122, 222), located adjacent a side of the workpiece (114, 214) opposite the cutting head (118, 119, 218).