Michael Waltrip Racing Increases Waterjet Productivity 35%, Cuts Costs with 90KSI Waterjet Pump

Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) reports that it has experienced dramatic water jet cutting productivity gains and cost reductions since powering its Jet Edge waterjet system with Jet Edge's 100hp 90,000 psi X-Stream waterjet intensifier pump in January.

"We've been seeing, across the board, a 35% improvement in cutting speed, plus we are using about 25% less garnet abrasive, and we have reduced our costs by 30%," said Nick Hughes, MWR's technical director.

"As an example, our spindles, which are one of our more complicated steering parts and cut from 2" 4140 steel, used to take 50-55 minutes to cut at 60,000 psi. Now we are cutting them in 30-44 minutes. Before we got the waterjet, it used to take three or four hours to rough cut them on a bandsaw. I also should note that about the same time we upgraded our pump, we changed suppliers for our spindle blanks. They use a much harder material that requires a slower cutting time. The X-Stream offset the increased cutting time.

"Another good example of a reduction in machining time would be our upper control arm plates that attach our front suspension arms to the chassis. These are cut from 1.5" thick steel and took about 1 hour and 25 minutes to cut two with the double heads and the old 60Kpsi pump. We can now cut two in about one hour with the double heads and the 90Kpsi pump."

Thanks to these increased cutting speeds, MWR has been able to reduce its waterjet operating hours from 60 to 65 hours per week to 40 to 50 hours per week, saving on labor and overhead, Hughes noted.

"From a throughput standpoint, we're able to push a lot more product through in the same period of time," he said. "This has freed up machine time so we can cut jigs and fixturing in addition to racecar parts. We're able to rough these out on the waterjet much faster than with conventional cutting tools."

By freeing up production time, Jet Edge's X-Stream waterjet pump also has helped MWR develop a side business building cars for other race teams, Hughes added.

"The X-stream has opened the door for more commercial opportunities," he said. "It helps bring the cost down and we're able to pass that down to the other teams. They are able to get a quality product at a lower price plus they can leverage off of MWR's engineering and manufacturing capabilities."

According to Hughes, MWR waterjets 250 parts for each of its racecars. The parts are cut from a wide variety of materials ranging from ¼" Nomex® to ½" steel, and include numerous panels, mounts and chassis components, plus duct work, windows, splitter panels and much more. MWR builds about 56 cars per year, which include the #55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry driven by Michael Waltrip and fielded by MWR, the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann and fielded by MWR, the #47 Little Debbie® Toyota Camry driven by Marcos Ambrose fielded by JTG- Daugherty Racing through a technical alliance with MWR, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series #99 Aaron's Dream Machine.

Hughes said he has been very pleased with Jet Edge's X-Stream waterjet pump and with Jet Edge's performance in general.

"We would absolutely, definitely recommend the X-Stream pump to others. The productivity improvements and cost savings are very measurable. Jet Edge's service has been fantastic and any components we've needed to get in have always been in stock. We have nothing to complain about."

For the latest updates on Michael Waltrip Racing's use of the Jet Edge waterjet system, and for more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com. For more information about Michael Waltrip Racing, visit www.michaelwaltrip.com.

About Jet Edge
Established in 1984, Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation and coating removal. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world's leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge waterjet systems are proudly made in the U.S.A. For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, e-mail sales@jetedge.com or call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343).

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Waterjets Manufacturer Jet Edge Celebrates 25 Years

ST. MICHAEL, Minn. (April 13, 2009) – Jet Edge, Inc., a leading manufacturer of industrial waterjet cutting and surface preparation systems, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the waterjet industry in 2009.

Jet Edge entered the waterjet industry in 1984 as a manufacturer of 55,000psi waterjet intensifier pumps for precision water jet cutting and 36,000psi waterjet pumps and portable equipment for mobile waterjet cutting, cleaning and surface preparation applications. Jet Edge began manufacturing precision waterjet cutting tables in 1998. In 2007, it became one of the first waterjet manufacturers to offer a 90,000 psi waterjet intensifier pump, which increases productivity by 40-50% for many materials and reduces operating costs by as much as 40%.

Jet Edge waterjet systems are used around the world by a wide variety of industries, including aerospace and defense, automotive, petrochemical, energy and general manufacturing. Jet Edge precision waterjets cut virtually any material, from metals and stone to carpet, foam and even food. Jet Edge’s waterjet surface preparation tools are used for paint, coatings and corrosion removal, and Jet Edge mobile waterjet cutters are primarily used to cut pipelines, steel reinforced concrete, reactor vessels and fabricated metal structures. They are ideal for cutting where flames and heat are restricted.

“Jet Edge’s success over the past 25 years can be attributed to our phenomenal customer loyalty and our company-wide dedication to providing quality products and outstanding customer support,” said Jude Lague, Jet Edge president. “We are very proud of the fact that 97 percent of our customers say they would buy from Jet Edge again. That speaks volumes of our products and our employees.”

For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com.

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About Jet Edge
Established in 1984, Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation and coating removal. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world's leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge waterjets are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Used Waterjets Available

Jet Edge is offering some great deals on used waterjets. We have a number of waterjet cutting machines, waterjet pumps, accessories and mobile waterjet cutting systems available.

See our used waterjet equipment page for details.

Tax Incentives Available for 2009 Equipment Purchases

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes a number of powerful tax incentives for equipment purchases.

Click Here to see more information from the Association for Manufacturing Technology.

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Mobile Waterjet Cutting System Introduced by Jet Edge

Jet Edge, Inc. is pleased to introduce its new Hydraulic Versacutter portable waterjet cutting and beveling system.

The Jet Edge Hydraulic Versacutter is a hydraulically controlled mobile waterjet system that moves along rigid or flexible track to cut flat or curved surfaces. It cuts with a 60,000 psi (4,100 bar) abrasive waterjet.

The Versacutter is ideal for cutting pipelines, steel reinforced concrete, reactor vessels and fabricated metal structures. It cuts without flames and does not generate heat. This makes it possible for operators to cut in areas where flames are restricted. It also eliminates heat-affected zones.

Jet Edge's Hydraulic Versacutter water jet system is powered by Jet Edge's 60,000 psi (4,100 bar) waterjet intensifier pumps, which are available in electric or diesel models up to 280HP.

Like all Jet Edge products, the Hydraulic Versacutter is proudly made in the U.S.A.

For more information, visit www.jetedge.com, e-mail sales@jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or 763-497-8700.

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