The UK is gearing up for a significant investment in infrastructure construction that promises to create major job opportunities across the country for years to come. Large contracting companies are preparing for these extensive projects, and waterjet technology is set to be one of the primary machining tools used to expedite production timelines.
Projects on the horizon include bridge construction and retrofits, water infrastructure improvements, mass transit enhancements, road repairs, and broadband expansion. There is ample opportunity for job shops to get involved if they are prepared. Major contractors and enterprise firms undertaking these vast projects will be seeking support and outsourcing substantial amounts of component and part fabrication, much of which is ideally suited for abrasive waterjet cutting.
Waterjets are material-neutral, capable of cutting virtually any material from hardened tool steel and titanium to glass, composites, plastics, and rubber without requiring tooling changes. This versatility is unmatched by other machining methods. Additionally, waterjet cutting is a cold-cut process that eliminates heat-affected zones, burn marks, and burring. Unlike traditional CNC machines, waterjets do not experience tool wear, ensuring consistent tolerances and steady production. While most waterjet cutting is performed on materials up to three inches thick, waterjets can cut through a foot of most materials by adjusting the machine’s cutting speed.
Given the immense flexibility and capability of waterjets, many job shops are enhancing their manufacturing processes with abrasive waterjets to broaden their customer base and retain more applications in-house that would otherwise be outsourced. With hundreds of thousands of new manufacturing and construction jobs on the horizon, large contractors and OEMs will soon be seeking shops that can handle specialised manufacturing requests and fulfil orders swiftly. Now is the time for shops to expand and build out their capabilities.
The expected surge in work and job creatio presents both opportunities and challenges for the manufacturing industry. The current shortage of skilled workers could be exacerbated, making automation more crucial than ever. The user-friendly design features of OMAX systems will enable shops to maintain production despite the challenges in the labour market.
OptiMAX and MAXIEM waterjet machines are scalable, with options allowing shops to expand the types of parts they can process and the jobs they can undertake. This ability to increase capability and complexity in the future means shops can cost-effectively invest in a waterjet machine today, with the flexibility to adapt to future needs.
Contact us to learn how a waterjet can improve how you run operations.