Machining with the new equipment

In the new manufacturing lab, the Flow waterjet machine has been used the most frequently by groups at IRE and also for outside projects.  The waterjet allows for precise cutting of various different materials with different thicknesses.  This precision is necessary when machining unique parts for different projects.  The first project that was cut out was for a student at Itasca Community College for his robot.  This robot had many different special cuts that would have been cumbersome to construct by hand.  Other personnel that have benefitted from the waterjet included: Mesabi Range baseball team, generation 6 DMR project, ICC Engineering Trophy, and WIKISPEED.

The WIKISPEED team used the waterjet to construct specialized motor mounts for their car.  These mounts needed to be cut out of aluminum and have the correct angles so the mounts could be welded in place in the proper place.  Below is a picture of the motor mount that was cutout on the waterjet and the bottom photo is the actual piece welded onto the car.  With this new machine the possibilities to construct prototypes with great accuracy will help in future learning at IRE.