Water Jet

Introduction to Water Jets

Waterjets are a versatile machining technology that utilizes a high-pressure stream of water, often mixed with an abrasive garnet, to cut a wide variety of materials. This process, known as abrasive waterjet cutting, allows for intricate and precise cuts without introducing heat-affected zones, making it ideal for materials sensitive to thermal distortion like aluminum, stainless steel, and composites. Pure waterjet cutting, without abrasives, is employed for softer materials such as rubber, foam, and food products. The cutting action is achieved by the erosive force of the high-velocity stream, capable of slicing through thicknesses ranging from thin foils to several inches of solid material with minimal kerf and excellent edge quality.

Best Practices

• For holes with require high precision, such as threaded holes, water jet a small diameter hole and drill it to the desired size.
• Zeroing the Z dimension properly is very important. Check the height on several different locations throughout the part – best practice is to zero at the highest point. Setting the Z too low will result in a poor cut or damage the machine. Significant height variations across the stock may result from either improper clamping or a deformed part, in which case it should not be used.
• When clamping stock, minimize the moment caused by the clamping force, i.e., don't clamp on an overhang.