subject: Water Jet Cutting Services – Why Choose Water jet Cutting? [print this page] Water Jet Cutting Services Why Choose Water jet Cutting?
Water jet cutting services are widely used in engineering and building circles to cut a variety of materials. Water jet cutting differs from laser jet cutting in several ways. Understanding these differences will aid you, as a hobbyist or a professional, to select the best suited cutting method for your specific requirements.
Waterjet cutting uses a highly pressured jet of water to cut through materials. The high level of pressure required is achieved through forcing the water through a tiny opening at pressures of up to 60,000psi.
To further enhance the cutting action, a material called garnett is added to the water to increase the abrasion.
The resulting cutting action is similar to that of water naturally cutting its way through the earth, forming river beds over thousands of years, but performed in a fast and precise way.
This abrasive cutting' can cut through a variety of materials, and a large range of thicknesses, which is where water jet cutting holds advantages over laser jet cutting which has a limited range of materials and thicknesses on which it is effective.
The variety of materials that can be cut using a water jet include;
Metals aluminium, brass, bronze, steel, titanium, copper, other metal alloys
Ceramics and Stone granite, marble
Composites
Concrete
Glass - fiberglass
Plastics and rubbers Kevlar, foam
Wood
Depending on the material, the thickness can be up to 8" thick with tolerances as little as 0.005" 0.010".
Water jet cutting uses no heat, so it is well suited to materials that are damaged or adversely affected with the application of heat. Waterjet cutting leaves the structural integrity of materials intact, meaning it can be used on plastics, wood and other materials which cannot be cut using a laser cutter.
Selecting the right cutter for your engineering or building project can save you money, time and the expense of having to replace a sheet or length of building material because of an imprecise cut.
If you are unsure, take the time to talk with your supplier, as they should have a good understanding of the options and be able to better explain your options depending upon your specific needs.
