RICHEL's mini-hoppers come with an anti-backflow device that makes it almost impossible for the water to back up into the mini-hopper should you get a clog in the cutting head. Our patented mini-hopper is a sealed unit containing no mechanical moving parts. Switching on and off by means of an expanding and contracting membrane virtually eliminates failures due to sticking. The abrasive chamber is sealed with O-rings at the top and bottom. Abrasive flow can be controlled while cutting by sliding a lever that regulates the amount of abrasive that drops out of the hopper. This too has a double O-ring design to seal moisture out. The abrasive delivery line breathes from inside the abrasive chamber, which means the abrasive is protected from any overspray, thus reducing the risk of clogging. This mini-hopper has been extensively tested under aggressive working conditions and proven to be extremely reliable. RICHEL's mini-hoppers can be installed on any machine as a retrofit or as a replacement.

The RICHEL variable delivery mini-hopper now allows the abrasive flow to be reduced automatically from within the software and program.  When cutting stone, glass, ceramic tiles, laminates, phoenalics, lexan, acrylic, composites, carbon fiber or any material that is fragile, brittle or is difficult to pierce, a low-pressure pierce is critical to reduce the risk of damage to the material in the pierce procedure.  As the water pressure is reduced, so the abrasive flow to the cutting head is also reduced to balance the reduction in vacuum generated by the cutting head.  The result is less blockages in the pierce procedure, and a substantial increase in consistency when low pressure piercing.

RICHEL can provide several different styles of abrasive cutting heads to suit your specific application or to match your existing cutting heads if you already have a waterjet system.  The cutting heads have been engineered to maximize cutting speed while producing a good edge finish and minimizing taper.  Heads can be supplied with ruby, sapphire or diamond orifices with a choice of Roctec 100® or Roctec 500® long life mixing tubes.

Along with our selection of abrasive cutting heads comes a matching choice of water-only cutting heads. Ruby, sapphire or diamond orifices are available.

Options available on the bulk feed hoppers include eyeglass viewing ports, low-level sensors and custom color paint.

In 2006, RICHEL partnered with IGEMS® to provide what is regarded as one of the most versatile CAD/CAM packages available today. This easy to use, Windows based, CAD/CAM software makes it easy for someone who has never programmed a part to produce excellent results the first time. Our goal was to take the mystique out of programming and make CAMmore of a procedure than a skill. Our software is also open architecture which simply means that you, the owner, has the freedom to modify and customize your own post processors, and configure the way the software will work with virtually any controller. This is an incredibly powerful tool that will make a difference to your production. This excellent program allows parts to be programmed and ready to cut in a matter of minutes. GEMS® advanced features make it ideal to work in a waterjet environment. Some of these features are: automatic true shape nesting of irregular parts, support for almost every kind of geometry, and nesting of simple entities like lines, arcs, regions and circles.  Software training videos are available and offered free of charge with every machine purchase. A full demonstration of this softwares capabilities is available via WebExâ with a RICHEL staff member anytime

RICHEL makes it incredibly easy to go from a sketch to cutting a design on your waterjet. The raster to vector software allows scanned images to be quickly converted to lines and arcs. To use, begin by importing a scanned image (in black and white, color, or gray). Allow the software to automatically convert the image to lines and arcs quickly and easily. Many easy-to-use tools are available to edit the vectorized image. Any TrueType font can be instantly outlined making text creation simpler than ever. When the drawing is finished, export DXFor IGES files, or select from a choice of other CAD file types. Then import the file into your CAM program for tool path generation and programming. RICHEL has been selling this program for many years, and it has proven to be reliable and user friendly. This really is a remarkable tool that will be extremely valuable if you plan to do any artwork with your waterjet.

35x35x18 porous waste abrasive bags with 4 top straps provide an excellent way to store used abrasive, which can later be recovered through recycling. Each bag holds up to 2000 lbs. of sludge. The bottom of the bag opens making it easy to empty and reuse.  These bags can also be used to store good recycled abrasive for use at a later time.

The Abrasive Removal-Only System requires several nozzles being installed in the bottom of your waterjet tank, which would be used to remove the abrasive.  Abrasive would then be pumped out and deposited into a storage hopper.  This system would require you to supply an air compressor able to generate up to 125 psi of compressed air with 12-15 cfm.  If you are interested in also being able to recycle your abrasive and reuse it you should consider our WARD units.  The removal system is built to remove abrasive and kerf material from the tank.  As with all removal-only systems, drops will not be removed.  For more information, feel free to contact us.

RICHEL's unique ball bearing tank allows you to cut hundreds of times in the same place without damaging the grates. The ball bearings absorb the majority of the waters force while reducing the amount of back-spray during cutting. This unit is supplied with a DXF file of its layout to help optimize usage. The tank has a replaceable grid support to ensure its lengthened lifetime. This device makes clamping and fixturing simple and quick. Cutting over a ball bearing tank is almost like putting a part on your desk, and cutting!  Watch our video showing how you may be able to benefit from a ball bearing tank. Typically, when cutting with a ball bearing tank, you literally just put it on top of your existing grate system. It is forklift ready and easy to move around.

To be able to glance at a large, easy to read ultra high-pressure water gauge can be valuable when operating a waterjet. Just by looking at how the needle is moving as the pump is stroking will be an indication as to the condition of the pump seals, check-valves and other working parts. RICHEL can supply quality high-pressure gauges that can be mounted anywhere onto the high-pressure tubing.

RICHEL provides an entire abrasive delivery system that includes our patented mini-hopper, pressurized bulk feed hopper and abrasive cutting head. All high-pressure tubing and fittings, sheathing, abrasive tubing and coning and threading tools are available. So, if you are looking at adding additional hoppers, abrasive cutting heads or retrofitting an existing CNC motion system, we have all you need to expand your waterjet capabilities.

RICHEL can help you design and fabricate new tanks for your waterjet system.  If you are converting an existing CNC machine to a waterjet, have a special application, or need a replacement tank our engineering team can consult with you, assist in design and arrange fabrication of a new catching tank.

Some waterjet facilities have a need to reuse the water that is used as cooling water in the intensifier.  A chiller is an excellent way to do this.  It will set-up a closed loop system for the cooling water.  The above unit would be able to cool enough water for a 50 hp pump.  Should a larger pump be in use then a larger chiller would be required.