Waterjet Cutting Materials

As waterjet cutting is a useful cutting method in modern industry, it can be applied to cut many kinds of materials. In this article, this article will talk about the following material:

1. Metals;

2. Wood;

3. Rubber;

4. Ceramics;

5. Glass;

6. Stone and tiles;

7. Food;

8. Composites;

9. Paper.

Metals

The high velocity and pressures generated by the waterjet cutting system can make them cut thin and thick metals. Waterjet cutting can even be used to cut thicker workpieces that can’t be cut with laser or plasma. Waterjet cutting can be used to cut extremely hard materials, such as titanium, and other types of metals, such as aluminum foil, steel, copper, and brass. Waterjet cutting can finish workpieces in high quality so that they can also be used in the most demanding sectors such as the aerospace industry. One of the biggest advantages of waterjet cutting is the non-thermal cutting method, meaning that the material will not be affected by the heat leaving the surface without burn marks or deformation. Waterjet cutting can leave metal manufacturing more design freedom when quoting projects and speeds up their production line, their workshops more efficient when completing a project. There is no need for secondary finishing in most cases as this process provides smooth edges.

Wood

Waterjet cutting can be used to split wood and carve intricate shapes. What needs to focus on is that the stream passes the wood at such a high speed that it causes virtually no surface wetness. This prevents the wood from absorbing the water. There is no chemical, vapor, or smoke produced during the cutting process, and dust and other particles can be easily and safely filtered from the water.

Rubber

Rubber can be cut by the waterjet cutting method. There are many advantages of using waterjet cutting rubber. A key advantage of a waterjet cutter is that it does not create concave edges, unlike die-cutting. And the technology is also not limited by the thickness of the rubber.

Waterjet cutting is also an environmentally friendly method. When cutting plastic or rubber with a water jet, no harmful combustion gases are ever released from the material into the environment. Therefore, waterjet cutting is popular in the plastics and rubber industry, allowing for all possible shapes you can think of without changing the cutting tool set. Pure waterjet cutting and abrasive waterjet cutting can both be applied for cutting rubber. The abrasive waterjet machine can cut rubber of varying hardness and thickness to the desired final quality. And waterjet machines can cut foam, rubber, plastic, insulation, or any woven material including fabrics, sports lettering, diapers, and feminine and healthcare products.

Ceramics

Ceramics are hard and brittle, and difficult to machine. They cannot withstand the excessive pressure that a workpiece is subjected to in other mechanical cutting methods. Therefore, the waterjet cutting method is one of the best methods for cutting ceramics. In waterjet cutting, no excessive pressure is applied to the workpiece except at the cutting point. This makes it ideal for cutting ceramics. The cutter can pierce its starting hole and precisely cut complex shapes. It will be better if CNC technology is used in conjunction with abrasive waterjet cutting to ensure repeatable accuracy and good edge quality.

Glass

Waterjet cutting can cut a variety of glass with incredible detail. It can cut the most delicate glass without cracks or craters on it, and can even cut stained glass. Abrasive waterjet cutting is especially suitable for cutting glass efficiently and precisely. With waterjet technology, you can cut holes, edges, and even more complex shapes without cracking or damaging the material. Waterjet can be used to cut stained glass, kitchen and bathroom splashbacks, frameless shower screens, balustrading, laminated and bullet-proof glass, flooring, table, wall inlay, and flat glass. 

Cutting glass can be quite a time-consuming and costly process because of the number of tooling changes required with other cutting processes. The design of the cutting bed and 5-axis cutting head means you can simply change your glass panel over and start cutting your next product almost instantly. No matter how intricate or complex the design, the cold water cutting process gives you the accuracy you need when cutting such a delicate material and eliminates any imperfections likely to be caused during the cutting process.

Stone and tiles

Abrasive waterjet technology is an optimal cutting method for cutting stones and tiles. You can easily cut complex shapes at high speed without cracking or damaging the material. With the right technical settings, we can use a waterjet cutter for cement, ceramic, glass, granite, limestone, mosaic, metal, porcelain, travertine, and quarry tiles. And stones and tiles cut by waterjet cutting can be custom border tiles, floor and wall inlays, kitchen countertops, custom stepping stones, outdoor stone, stone furniture, and so on.

Waterjet cutting machines are becoming one of the most versatile and preferred machines around the world for the precise cutting of both natural and man-made stones. The waterjet’s ability to cleanly cut stones like granite, marble, porcelain, and the like, overcomes the issues that come with less advanced, traditional cutting methods. Using drills, saws and milling cutters on hard abrasive stones is slow and expensive due to the wear and tear of expensive cutting tools. Waterjet typically produces a more precise cut, due to the fact it requires no force to be exerted onto the material, unlike cutting blades and tools which exert a lot of force on the stone and can help you save on costs.

Food

Waterjet cutting is extensively used in the food industry because of the sanitation and productivity advantages it offers. The waterjet executes precise cutting and portioning of small and large food items such as candies, pastries, poultry, fish, and frozen foods. As waterjet cutting does not require blades there is no need for any maintenance, sharpening, or cleaning of the machine. From meat processing to vegetable slicing and the manufacturing of snack and cake products, water cutting excels at cutting consistently across all food types. Due to the technique that waterjet cutters use during the cutting process, there is less cell damage caused to foods which increases the shelf life. As there is no need for knives or other shape-cutting tools the safety of all workers in food processing facilities increases drastically.

Composites

First, we should figure out what is composite. A composite material is a material that is produced from two or more constituent materials. As there are different materials in different composites, there are different features of composites. For example, fiberglass is delicate and lightweight material, and other cutting processes may cause cracking, burrs, and other imperfections within the fiberglass material. Abrasive waterjet cutting eliminates these issues with its super precise and fast cold-cutting process. The abrasive material delicately cuts through the fiberglass material without the risk of heat zones keeping the material in prime condition from start to finish. So it is necessary to consider the different properties of the different layers of the materials when cutting composite materials. Only the right parameters can make waterjet cutting an effective way to cut both shapes and holes.

Paper

Nowadays, waterjet cutting has become an excellent tool for the manufacturing of packaging materials and even wallpapers because of its highly accurate cutting capabilities that produce finish cuts without jagged edges. The waterjet cutting technology used on cardboard and paper is significantly different from those used on materials such as stone, glass, and metals. This very thin, very precise stream of water that is slimmer than a strand of human hair produces highly accurate cuts through the material without disrupting areas around the cutting line.

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