Why Is Water Tank Cleaning So Important in CNC Waterjet Machines?

The quality of a waterjet cut depends not only on the high-pressure pump, cutting head, or CAD/CAM software. One of the most overlooked factors is the condition of the water tank.

Before we go into detail, ask yourself these two simple questions:

1. Is the water tank integrated with the machine frame?

2. Or is the water tank separated from the machine frame?

The answer has a significant impact on maintenance, cutting accuracy, and the long-term durability of your machine.

Machines with an Integrated Water Tank

If the water tank and machine frame are built as one single structure, abrasive material (garnet) continuously accumulates inside the tank during production.

If the tank is not cleaned regularly, the increasing weight of the abrasive material places additional stress on the machine frame.

Over time, this may result in:

• Increased load on the machine frame

• Loss of machine alignment

• Changes in machine geometry

• Bridge (gantry) deflection

• Reduced cutting accuracy

• Higher maintenance and repair costs

Especially in high-production environments, this additional load can significantly shorten the service life of the machine.

Machines with a Separate Water Tank

From an engineering perspective, we recommend machines where the water tank is structurally independent from the machine frame.

Advantages include:

• The machine frame remains free from unnecessary mechanical stress.

• Maintenance becomes easier and faster.

• Machine geometry remains stable over time.

• The risk of structural deformation is significantly reduced.

However, even with this design, abrasive material accumulates unevenly inside the tank depending on production volume.

This can gradually cause the tank to lose its level.

Therefore, after every major tank cleaning, the water tank should be re-leveled.

For maximum cutting accuracy, we also recommend performing a laser surface scan and calibration before returning the machine to production.

The Biggest Challenge: Removing Abrasive Sludge

Cleaning accumulated abrasive sludge is one of the most time-consuming maintenance tasks in any waterjet system.

Manual cleaning typically requires:

• Removing the cutting slats

• Shoveling out the abrasive sludge

• Disposing of large amounts of waste material

This results in:

• Production downtime

• High labor costs

• Increased maintenance expenses

AqroSand – Automatic Tank Cleaning System

At AquaJet Technik Swiss GmbH, we offer the AqroSand Automatic Tank Cleaning System, designed to continuously remove abrasive material from the water tank.

Key Benefits

✔ Reduces production downtime

✔ Automatically removes accumulated garnet

✔ Extends the service life of the water tank

✔ Reduces mechanical stress on the machine frame

✔ Lowers maintenance costs

✔ Can be retrofitted to existing CNC waterjet machines

The AqroSand system works similarly to an industrial vacuum cleaner, continuously removing abrasive material from the tank.

Although it is a compact auxiliary system, it provides tremendous value by improving machine availability, reducing maintenance, and increasing productivity.

Manual Cleaning Is Still an Option

If an automatic cleaning system is not installed, regular maintenance should be scheduled according to your production volume.

This includes:

• Removing the cutting slats

• Completely cleaning the water tank

• Re-leveling the tank

• Verifying the machine geometry before restarting production

Proper maintenance ensures consistent cutting quality and reliable machine performance.

Conclusion

Water tank cleaning is much more than a routine maintenance task.

It plays a vital role in:

• Maintaining cutting accuracy

• Extending machine lifespan

• Preventing unexpected downtime

• Reducing maintenance costs

• Increasing overall production efficiency

At AquaJet Technik Swiss GmbH, we don't just manufacture waterjet equipment—we share our practical field experience and engineering expertise to help our customers achieve more reliable and efficient production.

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