What is Waterjet Cutting?
During water jet cutting in sheet metal processing, the sheet metal to be processed is separated by a high-pressure water jet and the admixture of cutting sand. The sheets are processed with up to 6000 bar working pressure, at the same time the sheet hardly heats up.
How Does it Work?
Water-jet cutting is based on a very simple functional principle. A fine jet of water hits the surface of a workpiece at high speed. It causes material removal and separates the material. To generate the required high-pressure water jet, a high-pressure pump brings the water to a pressure of up to several thousand bar and directs it to the cutting head.
Depending on the material to be cut, the water can also be mixed with an abrasive. The water with a jet diameter of 0.1 to 0.5 millimeters emerges from a fine nozzle opening at the cutting head. The blasting capacity depends on the pressure of the water and the diameter of the nozzle opening. The water jet separates the material particles near the surface and causes a stress-free cutting process without heat ingression into the material. Depending on the nature of the water jet and the hardness and thickness of the material, different cutting depths and speeds can be achieved.
Our Waterjet Cutting Capabilities
Types of Waterjet Cutting
Water-jet cutting with pure water is mainly suitable for cutting soft materials such as food, foams, papers or plastics. In the food sector, for example, it is used for cutting cheese, fruit or vegetables. Plastic materials to be separated can be foils and seals. Other materials are carpets, textiles, fibrous materials or insulating materials. The process is very environmentally friendly because it uses pure, recyclable water. The water does not pollute the food during cutting.
In abrasive cutting, the system mixes a hard, powdery material into the water jet. Materials such as garnet or corundum are used as abrasive agents. Abrasive cutting is more suitable for hard materials such as metal, steel, stone, marble, ceramics, glass, bullet-proof glass, wood, graphite or laminates. The cutting process for composites is particularly efficient.
Benefits Of Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet parts are typically cut from sheet or plate material and require no special clamps, fixtures or tool changes. This translates to quicker production and lower cost.
Waterjet cutting can be used on most metals, many plastics, wood and stone. It can be used to cut many materials that would be difficult to machine using other methods, such as heat-treated alloy steel.
Machining methods like laser cutting and EDM heat the material and the parts will need to be heat treated again after machining. Waterjet cut parts retain their heat treatment when cut. This means that you can start with pre-heat treated material and keep your costs down.
Why Choose ASTEORD for Waterjet Cutting?
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Waterjet Cutting Materials
Waterjet machines cut all types of metals: hardened tool steel, aluminum, titanium, and a host of exotic metals that prove difficult to cut with other tools or processes. Cutting with a waterjet produces a smooth edge with no burn marks, cracking or excess burrs. In addition, since waterjet is a cold cutting method, there are no heat-affected zones.
Aluminum
Brass
Copper
Carbon Steels
Tool Steels
Stainless Steels
The material distortions associated with machining plastic on conventional CNC machines no longer comes into play when using the cold cutting method of a waterjet. The ability to easily machine foam, rubber, and acrylic as well as all the previously listed materials gives waterjets an edge as a multi-use value-add tool. The versatility of a waterjet is what makes it so essential to any machine shop
Acrylic
Foam
Polycarbonate
Rubber
Plexglass
Abrasive waterjet has major advantages when Cutting carbon fiber. No need to change tooling. No special considerations or restrictions due to heat buildup. No melting. No hazardous fumes requiring costly air handling equipment. Any fiber-reinforced material, including Kevlar reinforced personnel armor, can be quickly and cleanly cut without the drawbacks that come with conventional machining.
Glass, stone, or wood, waterjets have the capability to fabricate with nearly any material under the sun. With specialized techniques such as low-pressure pierce, water-only cutting, and vacuum assistance a whole host of natural materials can be machined perfectly.
Available Surface Finishes
Polishing,
Grinding,
Sandblasting,
Glass bead blasting
etc.
Hardening,
Quenching and Tempering,
Case hardening,
Gas nitriding,
Plasma nitriding
etc.
Anodizing,
Hard anodizing,
Black finishing,
Passivating,
Phosphate conversion coating,
Nickel plating,
Galvanizing (zinc plating)
etc.
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