Replacing the Orifice
You will need to replace the WAZER’s Orifice after 300+hr of run time, when the performance of your WAZER starts to decline, or if the orifice is damaged.
While the procedure is straightforward it is important to be careful and follow the steps closely, keep everything clean as you are working. Any amount of debris in the system can clog or crack the orifice. If you don’t feel comfortable with this procedure feel free to contact support@wazer.com and we can work with you through the process and suggest some tools to make it easier for you.
Required Tools
11mm wrench
28mm wrench preferably (an adjustable wrench will work but may mark/mar the edges of your Nozzle)
4mm Hex key
Adjustable Pliers
Cleaning tools
Masking tape
Paper Towels (Ideally Shop towel)
Optional
Ultrasonic Cleaner (if you have it)
11mm crowfoot socket with a torque wrench set to 35Nm
Compressed air
[CAUTION!] Wait for the machine to fully dry off and brush off all abrasive around the Nozzle and the door window Using a compressed air source (set to no more than 35 psi) blow the area of the Nozzle clear of any abrasive (Safety glasses required) .
Perform a Nozzle Purge by navigating to Setup & Maintenance > Maintenance > Nozzle Purge on the Control Panel. This releases high pressure from the system.
Turn off the On/Off Valve or water supply to the machine. Then go to “HP valve“ check in “Output“ check to purge any residual pressure from the high pressure hose line.
Turn off WAZER and disconnect AC power from WAZER and the Pump Box.
Loosen and remove the knurled z-axis height adjustment knob.
5. Use a 4mm hex wrench to remove the two bolts securing the Nozzle assembly to the Gantry.
6. Use masking tape to cover up the exposed holes while you are working.
7. Loosen and remove the knurled guard on the Nozzle - this shouldn’t be more than hand tight. We have found that if it has been a long time it can get a bit stuck in which case using adjustable pliers can help.
8. Once the Nozzle is exposed it should easily slide down and out. A rotation by hand should free it if it’s locked up. If this doesn’t work for you, pinch the white collar to loosen it from the taper.
NOTICE: Be careful with the nozzle tip, it is made from tungsten carbide and is very brittle. It will break if dropped.
9. Gently peel up the Z-Axis Bellow from the Mixing Chamber. Be careful with this step and do not use a tool to pry it up as it could tear the Bellow. This will expose a set of flats on a rod that is under the Bellow.
10. Grab an 11mm and 28mm wrench. Use these to break the connection between the newly exposed Guide Rod and the Mixing Chamber.
IMPORTANT. Do not try this while the Nozzle is attached to the Gantry. Excessive forces on the Gantry during this step can damage it, making it unusable. If you don’t have a 28mm wrench you can use a large adjustable wrench, however, this may result in some marring of the outside of the Mixing Chamber. 11mm wrenches are also quite short and you may not be able to get the leverage needed to break open the head. We recommend slipping a length of pipe over the wrench to get the leverage needed.
NOTICE: The blue material you see on the threads is Blue Goop, a high pressure sealant that is necessary to have in the threads. If the Blue Goop is removed, you will need to reapply more before reassembling the nozzle.
11. Use tape to cover the bottom of the Guide Rod.
12. The Orifice is now exposed in the body of the Mixing Chamber. Take a look and see if anything is caught at the center of the brass ring, you should be able to see a tiny hole.
At This point if you are replacing the Mixing chamber, orifice, and nozzle skip ahead to the reassembly process (step 14).
13. Remove the Orifice from the Mixing Chamber – you may need to whack it against your hand.
14. Use a toothpick or metal dental pick to remove debris from the threads both inside and outside.
15. Before replacing the Orifice with a new one, do a thorough cleaning of the Mixing Chamber, rinsing it with water and blowing out any debris. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, it is recommended but not required.
NOTICE: If using an ultrasonic cleaner all of the Blue Goop will be removed. You will need to reapply Blue Goop to the threads before reassembling the nozzle.
16. Note: There is an orifice included in your spare parts kit. It will be located in either a plastic grey envelope or a small plastic bag.
Place a new Orifice into the Mixing Chamber with the brass ring facing you (the slightly domed side of the Orifice up). You will also notice that one side of the Orifice is flat, make sure that this is the side that sits down against the Mixing Chamber.
17. Now, cleanliness is paramount for both the interior and exterior threads. Clean all particulates or abrasive out of the internal threads where you see the Blue Goop. Then look at the Guide Rod and inspect the external threads to make sure there isn’t a single piece of abrasive at the bottom or in the threads. Just a single piece of abrasive that finds its way into the Orifice will result in a clog or crack.
18. Reassemble the Mixing Chamber and Guide Rod, making sure no abrasive has an opportunity to fall into the Mixing Chamber (i.e. a piece falling from Bellows). You will know that your cleaning in the previous step was sufficient if the Mixing Chamber smoothly threads onto the Guide Rod.
19. Tighten the connection with 11mm and 28mm wrenches. You want this to be very tight. If you have the 11mm crowfoot wrench and a torque wrench tighten this to 35Nm (25.8 ft-lb).
20. Preassemble the Nozzle, white collar, and knurled guard together. Screw this onto the Mixing Chamber. Before tightening the knurled guard, make sure to lower the entire Nozzle onto a piece of material so that the Nozzle is fully pushed up and seated into the Mixing Chamber. Now tighten the knurling.
21. Pull the lower Bellow lip back into the groove. Be careful to get this fully seated. Also, be gentle with the Bellow as it can tear with aggressive handling. Pull up on the Bellow to make sure the lip is fully seated.
22. Re-install the Nozzle assemble onto the Gantry using the two M5 bolts. Don’t fully tighten them yet.
23. Step back and make sure the Nozzle is lined up with the Gantry center block. When you are satisfied tighten down the mounting bolts fully and reinstall the height adjustment knob.
24. After replacing the orifice and securing the cutting head to the gantry block, please prime the High Pressure System. If you attempt to cut without priming the system it can immediately damage the newly replaced orifice.
To prime the High Pressure System, remove the abrasive hose from the nozzle and then run the HP Valve output check 3-4 times until you cannot see air in the water stream.
See this page for detailed instructions on how to prime the plumbing.
25. You have successfully replaced the orifice and primed the system, you are ready to cut!
As a final check, it is important to pay attention to the Whip orientation. The “Whip” is the bundle of wires and hoses inside the tank. Please check if the Whip always curls up when the nozzle travels to the rear of the tank. Essentially, we want the Whip to stay orientated in an upwards fashion in every direction the nozzle moves. The Whip Caretaking Article can be found here!
Please take note that after the cutting head is worked on, the Whip can become oriented in a way that is prone to damage via the high pressure water stream. If any of the 4 wires/hoses become damaged, it will render the WAZER inoperable until component replacement. In some cases, it can severely damage the gantry system which will require a Main Unit replacement! Please pay attention to the Whip orientation regularly, and after the cutting head is worked on.
If you are concerned about your cutting head or the condition of the Whip, please contact the WAZER Support Team!