Hydro: The First Low Cost Waterjet

Senior Design Project – University of Pennsylvania (2012)

Objective:
My team of five decided to create the first ever, small-scale, low-cost, and easy-to-use waterjet cutter, finally making this great technology available to hobbyists and small businesses on a budget.

Project Details:
I was the lead mechanical designer on this project and custom designed a fully waterproof and environmentally sealed XY gantry that would be able to withstand the water and abrasive from the waterjet. The waterjet has a cutting work space of 12”x14” and yet the machine is entirely self-contained to a footprint of only 2 feet by 2 feet, meaning that it can be easily rolled through a doorway and fit in the corner of any room. As well, it requires only a typical electrical outlet and shop air supply to run, making it a feasible option for universities, hobbyists, and small businesses with a budget of $5000 or less. The waterjet is low maintenance, requires only minimal training to run, and is able to cut through 1/4” aluminum and 1/8” steel to a tolerance of 0.005”.

Results:
This project won the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design competition, and each of us on the team was presented with the Gemmill Award for Outstanding Creativity.

Update:
This project is being developed as WAZER, the world's first personal waterjet. Read more about it here: WAZER Kickstarter

Team:
Adam Libert, Nisan Lerea, Nicholas Bartlett, Carlee Wagner, Neel Doshi, and Jonathan Fiene (advisor)