How Does a Water Jet Cutting Machine Work?

Are you thinking about investing in a water jet cutting machine?

If yes, then it can be a good idea to first find out how this high-speed cutting tool works.

Offering unrivalled precision cutting and the ability to cut a wide range of different materials, read on to find out exactly everything you need to know about this superior cutting process and how it can benefit your home or business.

What is a water jet cutting machine?

A “Waterjet Cutting Machine” is an industrial tool that uses high-pressure jets of water generated via a high-pressure pump – and that pump generates a lot of pressure – to cut through a variety of different materials. Waterjet cutting is most commonly used during the fabrication of machine parts in industries such as mining and aerospace.

There are many benefits to this type of cutting, including the ability to produce intricate cuts in metal without warping or affecting tempers.

How does a water jet cutting machine work?

As briefly touched upon above, water jet cutting relies on jets of water, sometimes combined with an abrasive, to cut through materials.

The abrasive is added in the nozzle so that you can easily switch between water and abrasive cutting depending on the type of material that you are cutting, or you can use a mixture of water and abrasive.

The abrasive waterjet nozzle uses the configuration of a mixing chamber and a tube to ensure efficient cutting. Although, if you are cutting soft material, an abrasive jet may not be needed, and a simple jet of water will be enough to make a clean cut. These cutters permit the production of accurate parts with minimal experience.

What materials can a water jet cutting machine cut through?

A water jet cutting machine can make sure you are cutting a wide variety of materials in no time due to its high-velocity cutting stream and the unique design of its cutting head.

Some materials that you can effectively cut through using a water jet cutter are:

  • Composites such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics
  • Metals, for example, carbon steel and stainless steel
  • Alloys such as aluminium and titanium
  • Glass products, such as panels for windows and vehicles
  • Stone
  • Concrete
  • Ceramics
  • Rubber

In fact, there are very few materials that cannot be cut using a water jet cutting machine, unlike other cutting tools that are limited to only metals. Just remember to be careful when cutting soft materials.

What are the benefits of water jet cutting?

As well as the ability to cut through a wide range of different materials, there are many other benefits to choosing this method of cutting, including:

  • A superior edge quality
  • Enhanced efficiency
  • More cost-effective
  • Accurate internal cut-outs
  • The ability to cut through thicker materials
  • No heat distortion or hardened edges
  • More environmentally friendly

If you would like more information about how water jet cutting machines work or you want advice on how to choose the right water jet cutting machine for you or your business, then “contact us” here today and one of our friendly and knowledgeable team will do our best to help you.

Kerf Logo Image