I tend to agree, based on my experience with every single piece of consumer electronic or electrical equipment I´ve purchased over the last 20 years...

Water emerging from the nozzle has a pressure of 60,000 pounds per square inch or 4137 bar. This means that the pressure is over 4000 times greater than the normal atmospheric pressure (1 bar). Hard materials cannot be machined with simple water jet machining. It is only suitable for softer materials such as rubber, ABS, leather, wood, and plastics.

It is necessary to use high pressure tubes to flow water under high pressure. Tubes typically range in size from 6 mm to 14 mm in diameter. The cutting head can also be moved with great flexibility.

The Water Jet Machining (WJM) process is an advanced, non-conventional machining process wherein a water jet is fired at the workpiece. The jet erodes the material of the workpiece and causes it to become shaped, i.e. jetting is a machining process that utilizes a water jet to remove material from a workpiece.

That legacy tradition is considerable: Talisman (known as LGG Charlesworth until 2018) is more than one hundred years old while Merriott Mouldings began production in the village of Merriott, Somerset in 1938 and ICM in Rochester, Kent in 1947. Each company is a member of the British Plastics Federation and has contributed greatly to the growth and culture of UK Plastics plc.

When high-velocity jets of water strike a workpiece, they cause erosion of the workpiece material, which results in machining.

The newly expanded company will provide customers - particularly in the Midlands, South West and South East - with improved and local product development, manufacture, logistics and technical support.

Andrew Lawrence remarked that the company is excited to be bringing together the wealth of expertise and knowledge that exists within its businesses, thus creating a formidable team.

The water jet intensifier creates a high-pressure liquid jet is by increasing water jet pressure. This intensifier is connected to the accumulator. Water is taken in at low pressure and expelled at high pressure through an accumulator. The mechanism works by hydraulic reciprocation.

The control valve controls both the amount and the pressure of water being passed. It directs the water to the flow regulator. Kinetic energy is then transferred from pressure energy to the flow regulator.

Two UK contract moulders – Merriott Plastics and Talisman – have just combined to create a multi-site, multi-competence business.

The nozzle produces highly kinetic jets of water from high pressure. Since the nozzle’s area decreases at its end, this creates more kinetic energy. Finally, the water jet is directed at the workpiece.

Indeed, Merriott Talisman customers in primary group markets such as automotive, electrical, defence and air and fluid movement can now look forward to the many benefits that will flow from the new business which is expected to turnover in excess of £15m sales this year.

The new grouping will be led by Shaun Champion of Talisman and Andrew Lawrence, Merriott Plastics. Lawrence said: "We are truly delighted to announce this historic merger; bringing both these industry names together in the service of our customers and for UK manufacturing - while also honouring the legacy tradition that has brought us together."

In just over a year´s time, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10. I foresee that a lot of businesses (that tend to run slightly older hardware)...

WJM is similar to Ultrasonic machining and Abrasive jet machining in that the workpiece is machined mechanically. For precise and automated control, this machining process is paired with a CNC machine.

The joint technical moulding capacity from both companies provides machinery capability from 25 to 1,100 tonnes, including injection, compression and composite moulding services for products weighing from 5 grams to 10 kg.

Champion added: "Throughout the new company our key focus will always be about doing the right thing for our customers. Andrew and I therefore encourage all to call up, get in touch and put this  commitment to the test. We are also exhibiting at Plastics Live 2024, Coventry Arena, June 12-13, 2024 so please make a date to visit our stand then."

The pump will take water from the reservoir and transfer it to the intensifier. The pump creates pressure in the water from 1500 to 4000 bars. A 50 to 100 HP electric motor is used.

Water is temporarily stored in the accumulator. Several control valves are connected to the accumulator. By keeping the flow of high-pressure water continuous, it eliminates pressure fluctuations.

Water is collected in the catcher or drain after the workpiece is cut. From here, the water may proceed for further purification or be recirculate.

With more than 78 manufacturing processes, including metal casting, metal fabrication, precision CNC machining, plastic fabrication, metal finishing and more, etc.,  in addition to our 200+ sub-contractor partners, OmnidexCN is able to support every project or component production regardless of the development stage or mass production.

A flow regulator regulates the flow of water that reaches the control valve. By adjusting the flow regulator, water will be sent to the nozzle, where it will be transformed into high-velocity water.

Simple water jet machines are almost like their abrasive counterparts in terms of construction and operation. In order to better understand the abrasive jet machine, let’s examine its construction and operation.

In order to increase the machining capability of water jets, abrasive particles are mixed with the jet of water. With mixed abrasives, hard materials such as aluminum, steel, granite, and cast irons can be machined.

Changing times, however, require a dynamic response to business that builds on tradition: Shaun Champion Talisman Plastics managing director notes that ‘growth at Talisman in the last 5 years has seen us doubling our turnover and making major investments in people and equipment. This merger enables that rate of growth to continue – providing ‘win-win’ for us - but also great things for our customers, current and future.’