Is waterjet technology the best choice for your cutting needs? In most cases, yes, it is.
For starters, it’s very cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly. It cuts with top-notch power and precision.
It’s safe to use for almost every cutting job and won’t cause unwanted damage or warping. Beyond this, waterjet cutting avoids many problematic side-effects that other cutting methods cause.
And that’s only the half of it. Learn all about the fantastic advantages of waterjet cutting in full detail from this guide.
1. Cold Cutting
Cutting torches require heat and actual flame to cut. These two things can be problematic, causing collateral damage to heat-sensitive objects nearby. Warping, for instance, is a very common problem with hot cutting.
In other situations, a cutting torch could even cause mass destruction and death. For example, one obviously can’t use a torch for any cutting job that’s close to highly-combustible gasses and materials.
For jobs like these, cutting cold is imperative. Thus, a waterjet provides a perfect alternative when a torch is out of the question.
2. Eco-Friendliness
Furthermore, there are no greenhouse gasses or toxic fumes emitted from waterjet cutting, as there are with other cutting methods. Neither does it produce hazardous dust.
Waterjets also use no harmful chemicals, only naturally-occurring/recyclable water and abrasive minerals like garnet. Plus, the cold cutting of waterjets prevents the dross waste, and slag deformation that plasma or laser cutting can cause.
3. Fast and Efficient Cutting
Waterjets are extremely powerful and cut easily through most materials, more easily than other cutting methods in most cases. Because of this, waterjets can get far more cutting done in far less time compared to other options.
This also means that waterjets are efficient at conserving materials (the water plus abrasive compound). Most first-time waterjet users are surprised at how much of these materials are leftover when the job is completed.
4. Low Cost
Because of the factors mentioned above, waterjets are typically your cheapest cutting option. Obviously, the water doesn’t cost much, especially when the waterjet is so efficient at conserving it.
The abrasive compound can be a little pricey. But again, the waterjet is very efficient at conserving this as well.
It’s efficiency also means less time spent cutting. That means less money spent on hourly wages or equipment leases.
5. Precision Cutting
Waterjets cut very precisely with tolerances around +/- 0.005″. However, tolerances vary among different manufacturers. Still, generally, waterjets cut net-shape or near-net-shape with little-to-no secondary processing required.
Waterjets can cut omnidirectionally. And they can usually perforate the material to be cut without the need for starting holes.
6. An Extremely Smooth Cut
Another great benefit is that waterjets smooth as they cut. Other cutting methods require smoothing edges as a secondary step after cutting. Waterjets save time by doing both of these steps at once.
The Benefits of Waterjet Technology
Waterjet technology saves you money, gets the job done fast, and spares the environment (and your project site) from unnecessary harm. For all these reasons and more, a waterjet machine could be the perfect tool for your cutting needs. Consider a waterjet for your next cutting project.
For more about waterjets, check out Water Jet Cutting and Its Many Uses in Machining and Fabrication.