Above: The Omax optional VersaJET 5-axis cutting head was redesigned so it is more watertight to prevent the abrasivepacked stream from penetrating the gears and other moving parts.
September, 2025- When an abrasive waterjet machine product line is a builder’s best seller, it makes solid business sense to continue to enhance it and keep the sales party going. That’s the case with the Omax Maxiem waterjet machines. Omax Corp., based in Kent, Washington, introduced the Maxiem X series waterjet—the third Maxiem generation in nearly 15 years—at this year’s Fabtech trade show in Chicago, says Michael Ruppenthal, general manager for Omax. “We made some significant improvements while leveraging the existing technology. We really focused on making the machine more robust, more reliable and easier to use.”
With the tendency of garnet abrasive to clump and clog a waterjet’s nozzle and “water spraying all over the place,” Ruppenthal says, “robustness and reliability have always been the Achilles’ heel of waterjet technology. You are basically putting a mechanical device in the middle of a sandstorm. And on top of that, it rusts.”
To make the Maxiem X series line more robust, he says Omax made the catcher tank (which stores water to absorb the energy of the jet stream) less susceptible to corrosion and improved the durability of the tank top so that it lasts longer and can handle heavier loads being placed on it.
In addition, instead of using ball screws or rack-and-pinion mechanisms to provide machine movements, the Maxiem line continues to use the IntelliTrax linear traction drive system, which harnesses the power of brushless servo motors, integrated servo drives and linear encoders to provide constant and precise feedback on the cutting head’s position, Ruppenthal says.
Next, the company replaced the system’s stainless steel and beryllium wheels, which resist corrosion and wear and tear, with ones made of a proprietary polymer to take it one step further. “They should last indefinitely, and you don’t need to lubricate them.” Avoiding lubrication, Ruppenthal explains, minimizes wear because oil attracts erosion causing abrasives.
The Maxiem X series waterjet comes standard with Omax’s IntelliMAX Premium software suite, an option for the previous generation.
WATERTIGHT
The new iteration of the Omax optional 5-axis cutting head, called VersaJET, was redesigned so it is more watertight to prevent the abrasive- packed stream from penetrating the head’s gears and other moving parts and causing them to wear prematurely, he says. “Water can’t get in as easily as before, and when it does, [the head] is easy to maintain and clean.”
A variety of options are available for the VersaJET head, Ruppenthal notes, including the new abrasive clog sensor, which is able to stop the cutting process when there is an abrasive clog.
There’s also a new abrasive metering hopper, he says. Traditionally, when the abrasive jet becomes clogged, water is sent into a metering hopper, which tends to make the garnet clump together. “That’s an annoyance. We’ve made that metering hopper less susceptible to clogging and, should it become clogged, we’ve made it easier to unclog and dry out quickly with little operator intervention.”
FOLLOWING
The collision sensing terrain follower, which allows the standoff distance to be constantly maintained when cutting uneven surfaces, and the height sensor also minimize operator intervention, Ruppenthal says. The terrain follower not only improves the accuracy of a cut but also allows an operator to avoid having to closely pay attention to what the waterjet is doing.
“The machine kind of watches itself,” he explains. “The objective of the terrain follower and height sensor is to make sure the hopper never clogs, but it still happens if things go haywire. When they do happen, we don’t want the operator to spend 10, 15, 30 minutes fixing it.”
About 30 percent of Maxiem customers select the 5-axis cutting head, which accepts the MAXJet 5i cutting nozzle, with the remainder opting for a 3-axis head, Ruppenthal notes. However, the 5-axis cutting head is versatile for specific applications, such as cutting bevels, contours and countersinks, as well as cast trimming.
“You have a piece of nickel-based alloy that has runners and gates, and you need to trim those off,” he says. “You don’t want to use a hand grinder or machining center. You can use a waterjet with a multi-axis cutting head, the VersaJET.”
ADVANCED SOFTWARE
To enable the use of advanced cutting models and capabilities, Ruppenthal says the X series comes standard with the company’s IntelliMAX Premium software suite, which was an optional upgrade for the previous iteration. One capability the software enables is bevel cutting. “We don’t charge extra for that anymore.”
To leverage existing technology, the X series will still come standard with the Maxiem direct-drive pump, with the EnduroMAX direct-drive pump and DynaMAX intensifier pump as options, he notes.
An intensifier pump has its place, such as pure waterjetting without abrasive, multiple cutting head systems and etching, but most end users find direct drive to be the appropriate technology. “It is more powerful, more efficient, more robust and often easier to maintain than an intensifier. In our world, most go with direct drive,” Ruppenthal says.
Most Omax customers also opt for a solids removal system to automatically remove the garnet that builds up in the catcher tank instead of manually removing it with a shovel or some other method. The system can be purchased with a machine or added later. “The most sold accessory after someone buys a machine is the abrasive removal system. You have to shovel it only once to realize that is no fun,” he says.
Because customers are increasingly concerned about the safety of waterjet machines, Omax waterjets are the first waterjets to have a performance level (PL) D rating, according to Ruppenthal. (A is the lowest and E is the highest). The rating allows Omax to put in a safety barrier, such as a light curtain or pressure mat that, when tripped, ensures the machine is de-energized to a 99.99 percent certainty. “That used to be a custom accessory. Today, that is standard.”
All seven Maxiem X series models, from the 1515 to 3060, are scheduled to available by spring 2026. According to Ruppenthal, “X series has the capabilities and features that 90 percent of the market needs and wants.”
Omax Corp., 253/872-2300, http://omax.com
