Waterjet cutting set to expand

• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Central Otago News

Wai Innovation can be found in Three Parks, where customers can ask for almost any material to be cut to any size or shape

The business also provides 3D printing and design services.

The outfit has been rapidly building up steam. By the end of March, Mr Drake hopes to be set up in much larger premises in the Ballantyne Ridge industrial area, offering an expanded range of services including laser cutting.

‘‘On the surface, Wai Innovation is a business in the light manufacturing sector. Our primary focus is waterjet cutting. However, our offerings support our true goal, which is to engage students of all ages to keep them on track with Steam (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths). This effort is finally being developed as we’ve crossed into profitability after our initial difficult growth phase.’’

Mr Drake, formerly from the United States, and his wife Ethel Murphy have lived in Wanaka since 2016.

He qualified as a mechanical engineer in the US in the early 2000s, and has been designing things large and small, low-tech and high-tech, since then.

Mr Drake says waterjet cutters are the jack of all trades — able to cut any metal, plastic, wood, glass, rubber and pretty much anything else. Wai can cut steel profiles 100mm thick with water at 50000 psi.

‘‘Our customers generally fall into four categories. We do heaps of work for local engineers including heavy structural parts ... We enjoy doing some cool things for the homeowner crowd, like decorative patio or gate panels. We...