![]() In Illustrator, the next step was to set the output units to Inches instead of Pixels.Not in the manual, but as recommended by one of the DCs, my first step was to use the Illustrator "Trace Outline" command to convert the fonts I had used into graphics.The manual for the WaterJet course had a multi-step procedure for converting my Adobe Illustrator file into a format that could be read by FlowPath, the path generation tool used by FlowCut. I wanted to know why it actually took 14 minutes and 36 seconds to cut. According to Gabe, one of TechShop's highly experienced Dream Consultants (DCs), my design should have taken about 4 minutes 30 seconds to cut. To begin, I wanted to understand the mistakes I had made that had caused my original data file to cut so slowly. These gains in both quality and speed are made possible by optimizing the data input into FlowCut, the proprietary software used by the TechShop WaterJet cutter. The result of my work is this Instructable, which both improves the quality of the output on the WaterJet for most designs that incorporate curves, and may reduce the cut time by as much as 16%, as compared to the method taught in the course. Since taking the course, I have spent the next two weeks of evenings at TechShop working to understand why my graphic had not cut very well, and trying to reduce the cutting time on the WaterJet for everyone who will use that machine into the future. If I had chosen to cut this small graphic outside the course, the cutting time for this piece would have cost me $43.80! Not only was this expensive, but the quality of the output was not very good the lettering in the font was badly distorted, and the smooth curve of the heart shape had been converted into angular straight lines. When taking the WaterJet course, I was disturbed when this small graphic took 14 minutes and 36 seconds to cut through 0.18 inch thick aluminum. When I took the FlowJet course, I used a test graphic that I had also used in other courses that I had taken, in this case a heart shaped graphic with my girlfriend and my name in it. In fact, I think that the WaterJet is the only tool at TechShop that members are charged to use above their membership fee. ![]() Unfortunately, the WaterJet is also the most expensive tool at TechShop to operate, currently costing members $3.00 per minute. The WaterJet at TechShop has been demonstrated to cut through 2.5 inches of steel, and is commonly used by TechShop members to cut through aluminum, glass, stone, and even wood. ![]() Added to this high speed jet of water is a fine garnet abrasive that allows this tool to cut through many different kinds of materials. For those who are not familiar with this tool, it works by shooting a jet of water through a very small orifice at about 50,000 pounds of pressure. One of the most powerful tools at TechShop is the WaterJet cutter. ![]()
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