Metal-on-Metal Waterjet Seal Eliminates Conventional Plastic Seals, Cuts Number of Consumable Seals in Half
Jet Edge, Inc. has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued the waterjet manufacturer a patent for a high pressure fluid sealing mechanism designed by Jet Edge R&D Engineer Michael Wheeler.
Jet Edge’s proprietary high pressure fluid sealing mechanism (U.S. Patent 8,333,387) improves waterjet seal life by providing robust Metal-on-Metal sealing without the use of conventional plastic seals. This technology uses two convex curved surfaces in single line contact with one another to seal ultra-high pressure (UHP) fluid at static pressures up to 130,000 psi. To view the patent, visit http://1.usa.gov/VuWMjM.
“Jet Edge’s revolutionary Metal-on-Metal sealing technology marks a tremendous breakthrough in waterjet technology,” said Jet Edge President Jude Lague. “With it, we are able to offer one of the longest seal lives in the industry, which translates into higher productivity and lower maintenance costs for our customers.”
Jet Edge initially developed the Metal-on-Metal seal to meet the increased performance demands of its X-Stream (XP) pressure intensifier pumps, which produce dynamic cutting pressures of 75,000 psi. The technology has proven so successful that the waterjet manufacturer has expanded its use into additional product lines, including its ECO-JET direct drive pumps and several of its 60,000 psi intensifier pumps.
With its Metal-on-Metal sealing technology, Jet Edge has been able to eliminate static seals in its XP intensifiers and ECO-JET direct drive pumps, Wheeler noted. “This has effectively cut the number of seals that can fail or need to be changed in half,” Wheeler said. “I've assembled and disassembled these seals countless times and most of the time a quick cleaning of the surfaces with a Scotch-Brite pad and a fresh coat of Blue Lube is all the maintenance that's ever needed. The Metal-on-Metal seals that are part of the cylinders in our R&D ECO-JET have at least 40 million pressure cycles on them.”
Wheeler noted that it took a tremendous team effort to develop the technology and achieve the patent. “I want to thank Jude Lague for funding the research, development, and legal work that lead to this patent, [Jet Edge Engineering Manager] Dave Lafavor for encouraging the research, [former Jet Edge employee] Reynold Sacquitne for his help in testing and troubleshooting the technology, [Jet Edge machinist] Brian Wallace for his excellent job machining the prototypes that lead to this technology, and [attorney] Paul Grunzweig for helping us find our way through the legal process of writing and obtaining the patent,” he said.
A waterjet industry leader since 1984, Jet Edge owns a variety of patents related to ultra-high pressure waterjet technology. Jet Edge manufactures complete waterjet systems, including precision CNC waterjet gantries, waterjet pumps, accessories and parts. It offers the widest range of waterjet pumps in the industry.