Waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services use high-pressure media to cut materials. Water jets and water abrasive jets send highly-pressurized water (20,000 - 60,000 psi) through a nozzle or jewel measuring approximately 0.010" in diameter. 

Advantages to Waterjet and Abrasive Jet Cutting

There are several advantages to waterjet and abrasive jet cutting. These include low side loads and the ability to achieve complex shapes and tight inside radii. Waterjet and abrasive cutting services can also provide low fixturing costs and fast setup and programming times, making this process well-suited for prototypes or short runs. In addition, there is almost no material heating during waterjet and abrasive jet cutting.    

Serviced Materials

Waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services may specialize in working with particular categories of materials. Some companies cut metals, glass, stone, marble or granite. Others work with plastics, rubber, and foam. Waterjet and abrasive cutting services may also specialize in cutting specific types of metals or plastic.

Waterjet cutting is often used with metals ranging from copper, silver, and gold to steel, lead, tin, and iron. Aluminum, magnesium, and titanium may also be cut with water jets and abrasive jets. Plastics are organic, synthetic, or processed materials that include thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers of high molecular weight. Because waterjet and abrasive cutting causes little material heating, this cutting technique may be preferable to other methods.

Additional Services

Waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services may offer CAD / CAM support, design assistance, prototyping, low volume production, high volume production, and inspection or quality control. Providers that offer computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) services can receive files electronically for part creation.

Waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services that provide design assistance can help customers with concepts, manufacturing costs, manufacturing techniques, and material considerations. Quality control (QC) services may produce or provide inspection reports and statistical process control data.   

Services By Location

Waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services may serve customers in specific regions, continents, or countries. Customers can select vendors in North America, Canada, the United States, or parts of the United States such as the Northeast, Midwest, or Southwest. Similarly, waterjet and abrasive jet cutting services in Asia are categorized as South Asia and East Asia.