Using a high-quality mixing tube (sometimes referred to as a nozzle) such as Kennemetal’s ROCTEC composite carbide is vital in maintaining accuracy and peak performance from your abrasive waterjet cutting equipment. The mixing tube combines the high-pressure stream of water with the abrasive directing it to the cutting surface.

BARTON carries the ROCTEC 100, ROCTEC 500 and ROCTEC APX mixing tubes in a wide range of sizes at our two waterjet parts distribution warehouses. ROCTEC mixing tubes are considered the industry standard for waterjet cutting and consistently offer longer life than other waterjet mixing tubes.

Without a high-quality mixing tube, the kerf widens, cutting speed is reduced, and cutting precision is diminished as the original optimum jet pattern and abrasive velocity are lost. Reject rates also increase, and time is wasted replacing the mixing tube.

Superior wear resistance reduces the frequency with which mixing tubes need replacing. That longer life also helps maintain the integrity of the jet pattern and velocity. The result is faster average cutting speeds, greater dimensional accuracy, the ability to perform longer uninterrupted cuts, and less downtime for mixing tube replacement.

The question we often get from customers is, “Which ROCTEC nozzle is best for my operation?” Here are some key facts to consider about the three models. And, of course, customers can call to discuss their operation in detail to determine the best choice.

ROCTEC APX

ROCTEC APX extends abrasive waterjet nozzle life as much as 20% over industry-leader ROCTEC 500. They are reported to provide a longer period of uninterrupted, precision cutting with fewer required nozzle changes. APX nozzles maintain cutting accuracy because of uniform bore growth (wear) resulting in a reliability advantage.

ROCTEC 500

ROCTEC 500 composite carbide mixing tubes are harder and typically last 30% to 40% longer than ROCTEC 100 mixing tubes. Using ROCTEC 500 mixing tubes reduces downtime, maintenance effort, and finished-product losses. It is recommended for 87K to 100K PSI applications and is especially beneficial for long-duration and unattended cuts on expensive material that could be damaged in the event of a mixing tube failure during the cut. ROCTEC 500 mixing tubes are better suited for applications where a smaller ID mixing tube is needed to achieve a narrower kerf. They can also be expected to hold tighter cutting tolerances longer, and are typically priced 15% higher than ROCTEC 100 mixing tubes.

ROCTEC 100

ROCTEC 100 mixing tubes are made with the same Rapid Omni-directional Compaction (ROC) manufacturing process as ROCTEC 500 mixing tubes, but they are made with a composite carbide which is not quite as hard as a ROCTEC 500.

ROCTEC 100 mixing tubes are best suited for shorter duration cuts with less demanding tolerances. ROCTEC 100 mixing tubes come in at a lower price point, but consistently perform better than competitive brands of mixing tubes.

ROCTEC is a trademark of Kennametal Inc.