Patent ID: 8380338

Claim:
A method of stripping foreign material from at least one hole in a substrate using a water jet apparatus that includes a nozzle from which a high pressure jet of water is discharged and a control system for moving the nozzle relative to the substrate, said method comprising the steps of: a. providing a scanner that can be moved by the control system of the water jet apparatus; b. operating the control system to move the scanner across the surface of the substrate until the scanner senses the location of the hole in the substrate and transmits digitized signals to the control system representing the location of the sensed hole; c. operating the control system to move the nozzle to a location directly opposite the sensed hole, and to direct the water jet directly into the sensed hole to remove foreign matter therefrom; d. providing a probe that can be moved by the control system of the water jet apparatus; e. operating the control system to move the probe across the surface of the substrate to the location of the sensed hole; f. using the probe to transmit digitized signals representing the desired distance of the nozzle from the sensed hole; and g. operating the control system to position the nozzle at the desired distance from the hole when the water jet is directed into the sensed hole.