When it comes to fascinating alternative use cases for manufacturing processes, waterjet cutting has had no shortage of applications, yet New Zealand-based designer Mark Wilson might have just come up with the best use case yet.
In the waterjet manufacturing process, the high-pressure water stream can lose its pressure and precision soon after entering a material – particularly thick and dense material like steel. Using precise calculations and a mockup in SOLIDWORKS, Wilson exploited this defect to forge a blade from two intersecting waterjet cuts made at varying feed rates.
The resulting Kanagawa Blade – named after the famous Great Wave Off Kanagawa woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai – is a study and celebration of the sheer power that water can unleash.
“I see massive potential in utilizing design to deconstruct the boundaries that separate areas of society,” explains Wilson on his design philosophy. “Strategically employing design processes, critical perspectives, and creative thinking within and around multiple disciplines and industries is the key to unlocking these new spaces. It is here that innovation is born.”
Be sure to check out the rest of Wilson’s fascinating projects – including a series of 3D printed organisms – over at his website.
