Processing over 10,000 Dura Steel boards for infrastructure construction projects in Australia
Project Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Customer | Chess Engineering |
| Industry | Commercial Construction |
| Material | Dura Steel Board |
| Thickness | 10 mm |
| Sheet Size | 1200 × 2400 mm |
| Machine | Tassino Golden Arrow 4000 × 2000 CNC Waterjet |
| Pump | Hydraulic Intensifier Pump |
| Cutting Operations | Holes and Profile Cutting |
| Machine Configuration | 5-Axis CNC Waterjet |
| Installation | 4 Days |
| Operator Training | 3 Days |
| Operating Time | Approximately 3,000 Hours |
| Production | Approximately 10,000 Boards |
Background
With more than 50 years of industry experience, Chess Engineering is one of Australia’s leading engineering and fabrication companies, delivering manufacturing, installation and project management solutions for infrastructure, rail, mining and commercial construction projects.
For one of its major infrastructure projects in Western Sydney, Chess Engineering required a reliable cutting solution for 10 mm Dura Steel boards. The application demanded accurate hole cutting, clean profile cutting and consistent dimensional accuracy across thousands of parts while maintaining production efficiency.
Rather than investing in equipment for a single project, the company wanted a machine capable of supporting future fabrication work across a wide range of materials and applications.
The Challenge
Dura Steel is not a conventional steel plate.
It is a composite construction material consisting of a cement fibre core bonded between two galvanized steel sheets. This unique construction provides excellent fire resistance and structural performance, making it widely used in commercial buildings and infrastructure projects.
However, it also presents significant manufacturing challenges.
Traditional cutting methods are often unsuitable for this type of material.
Mechanical saws can generate excessive dust while suffering from rapid tool wear.
Thermal cutting processes such as plasma or laser are primarily designed for homogeneous metal materials and are generally not suitable for composite boards containing cement fibre. Heat can also affect the galvanized coating and compromise the finished edge quality.
For Chess Engineering, the objective was not simply to cut the material—it was to achieve clean edges, accurate holes and consistent quality throughout long production runs.
Why Chess Engineering Chose Waterjet
After evaluating different manufacturing methods, Chess Engineering selected a Tassino Golden Arrow 4000 × 2000 CNC Waterjet equipped with a hydraulic intensifier pump.
Waterjet cutting offered several important advantages for processing Dura Steel boards:
- Cold cutting process with no heat affected zone
- Suitable for composite materials containing both steel and cement fibre
- Excellent dimensional accuracy
- Clean edge quality with minimal secondary finishing
- Ability to cut holes and complex profiles in a single operation
The machine was also specified with a 5-axis cutting head.
Although the initial project primarily required two-dimensional cutting, Chess Engineering recognised the value of investing in a more versatile system capable of supporting future fabrication projects involving bevel cutting and more complex components.
Installation and Commissioning
Installation of the machine was completed in four days, followed by three days of operator training.
The training covered machine operation, pump maintenance, consumable replacement, cutting parameter optimisation and daily inspection procedures.
Following commissioning, the system entered production immediately.
Production Performance
Since installation, the machine has become an integral part of Chess Engineering’s production process.
Over approximately 18 months of operation, the system has delivered:
- Approximately 10,000 Dura Steel boards processed
- Nearly 3,000 machine operating hours
- Average production of up to 40 boards per day, depending on part complexity
- Reliable production for major infrastructure projects across Western Sydney
The machine consistently produces accurate hole locations and clean profile cuts while maintaining repeatable cutting quality throughout extended production runs.
Reliability That Keeps Production Moving
For engineering companies working on infrastructure projects, machine reliability is just as important as cutting performance.
Unexpected downtime can delay production schedules and impact project delivery.
One of the most significant outcomes of this installation has been the long-term reliability of the waterjet system.
After nearly 3,000 operating hours, the machine has experienced no major unplanned downtime.
Apart from routine preventive maintenance and the scheduled replacement of normal wear components, the system has continued operating reliably throughout daily production.
This level of reliability has enabled Chess Engineering to focus on manufacturing rather than machine repairs, helping maintain productivity and meet demanding project deadlines.
Technical Insights
One important lesson from this project is that processing Dura Steel boards is not simply about cutting speed.
The real challenge lies in maintaining consistent quality across thousands of parts.
Because Dura Steel combines galvanized steel with cement fibre, conventional cutting methods often struggle with heat damage, coating deterioration or excessive tool wear.
Waterjet technology eliminates these issues through a cold cutting process, allowing both materials to be cut simultaneously without thermal distortion.
For long production runs, repeatable accuracy, consistent edge quality and dependable machine reliability deliver greater value than maximum cutting speed alone.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates that CNC waterjet technology is not limited to stone, glass or conventional metal fabrication.
It is also an ideal solution for processing specialised composite construction materials such as Dura Steel boards used in major infrastructure and commercial building projects.
After producing approximately 10,000 Dura Steel boards over 3,000 operating hours, the Tassino CNC Waterjet continues to provide reliable daily production with only routine preventive maintenance.
For engineering companies seeking a versatile, accurate and dependable cutting solution for composite materials, this case demonstrates the long-term value that a hydraulic intensifier CNC waterjet can deliver.
Customer Testimonial
“
After nearly 18 months of operation, the machine has consistently delivered reliable performance with only routine maintenance. It has become an important part of our Dura Steel fabrication process.
Mohan Fernandopulle
Senior Project Manager / Senior Estimator
Chess Engineering