Here are some of the benefits to using a waterjet:

  • Cheaper than other processes.
  • Cut virtually any material: From Glass and Ceramics to Inconel and Titanium.
  • Cut thin stuff, or thick material
  • Make all sorts of shapes with one tool.
  • Cuts a wide range of thickness up to 5.875″ thick
  • No heat generated / No heat affected zones
  • No mechanical stressesCut virtually any shape
  • Leaves a satin smooth finish, thus reducing secondary operations
  • Clean cutting process without gasses or oils
  • Narrow kerf removes only a small amount of material
  • Abrasive jets are more enviornmentally friendly
  • You can trade off tolerance vs. speed from feature to feature on your part. 
  • No “scaley” edges, which makes it easier to make high quality welds
  • Machine Composite materials, or materials where dissimilar materials are glued together
  • Machine Stacks of thin parts all at once.

When Comparing with Lasers

  • Abrasive waterjets can machine many materials that lasers cannont. (Reflective materials in particular, such as Aluminum and Copper.
  • Uniformly of material is not very important to an Abrasivejet.
  • Abrasive Jets do not heat your part. This there is no thermal distortion or hardening of the material. 
  • Precision abrasive jet machines can obtain about the same or higher tolerances than lasers. (especially as thickness increases)
  • Abrasive jets can machine thicker materials.
  • Abrasive jets do not loose much “focus” when cutting over uneven surfaces. 

When Comparing with EDM

  • Abrasive jets are much faster than EDM.
  • Abrasive jets machine a wider variety of materials. (virtually any material)
  • Uniformity of material is not very important to an Abrasive jet. 
  • Abrasive jets can machine thicker materials.
  • Abrasive jets are capable of the same tolerances on thin parts, and better on parts thicker than .5″
  • No heat affected zone with abrasive jets.
  • Can make bigger parts. 

When Comparing Plasma

  • Abrasive jets provide a much nicer edge finish
  • Abrasive jets don’t heat the part
  • Abrasive jets can cut virtually any material
  • Abrasive jets are more precise 

When Comparing with Flame Cutting

  • Abrasive jets provide much nicer edge finish
  • Abrasive jets don’t the part
  • Abrasive jets can cut virtually any material 
  • Abrasive jets are more precise 

When Comparing with Milling

  • Huge savings in material yield versus milling
  • No special tooling required 
  • Machine virtually any material, including:
    • Brittle materials
    • Pre-hardened materials
    • Otherwise difficult materials such as Titanium, Hastalloy, Inconel, SS 304, hardened tool steel… 

When Comparing with a Punch Press

  • Lower cost per piece for short runs
  • Place holes closer to the materials edge
  • Faster turn-around 
  • Minimal set-up
  • Thick materials are fine
  • Brittle materials are no problem
  • Hard materials are easy