Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Technology Risk Assessment by Means of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Method

Abrasive waterjet cutting nowadays represents cold precise, computer controlled shape cutting without any strain [1, 2]. These attributes pose this technology to the position of permanent use in the future, that represents excellent perspective for expansion in volume sectors, especially there, where the materials with excellent utility properties are used [3, 4]. The AWJ technology is, under existing high requirements for manufacturing quality and productivity, applied to fully automated production workplaces with automatic CNC control [5]. However, the introduction of automated machinery and equipment with high flexibility and intelligence does not exclude the man from the production process, but it transfers human acting from laborious work and work in harmful environments into the area of control, operation, check and maintenance of automatic devices [6, 7, 8, 9]. The automation of manufacturing processes of AWJ cutting technology is a benefit having technical and economical effects above all when the existence and possibility of risks threatening this process are not omitted. Those means which were introduced into the built-up system to exclude a man from hazardous, laborious and monotonous work thus become a source of hazard to the man. These results are partly useful for all kinds of high pressure jet applications, like high pressure jet assisted machining. This hybrid technology is presented in [10].