waterjet technology

What Makes Waterjets Cutting Distinct from Laser Cutting Method?

Machine Repair and Engineering /
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When it comes to their material cutting concerns, companies involved in the manufacturing space favor the use of waterjet cutting and laser cutting techniques. 

With respect to the material in question and the result they desire to have, one of these two methods would be most appropriate for a given application. 

Before making any conclusion that one of which is better than the other, it would help a lot if we will examine first what their fundamental differences are, in terms of processes as well as the materials they are known to work well with. From identifying what their distinct qualities are from each other, we can draw a line on how we can use them for our various material cutting requirements. 

Water Jet Cutting

laser cuttersUnlike laser cutters, a water jet cutting system, denoting its name, makes use of highly pressurized water to cut or slice through a material. Abrasive materials in the form of aluminum oxide and garnets can be used if you want to further intensify their cutting power. 

Besides increasing its cutting ability, the addition of abrasives to the water before getting pressurized will significantly help in reducing cutting time to half. 

The working principle behind the waterjets system of cutting is derived from nature itself, particularly the erosion of soil in mountains. The waterjet technique is, however, an amplified version of erosion. The main difference is that a waterjet is executed at a higher speed and concentration. 

With the help of a high-pressure pump, the water can be driven through rigid hoses. This action will lay the groundwork for a highly powerful/forceful jet of water. 

If laser cutters have their laser source right inside the machine itself, waterjet pumps and work areas are often separate.  

Applications and Materials 

One reason why the waterjet system of cutting quickly elevated itself as the material cutting of choice among many industries is due to its ability to cut virtually any material, even the combination of materials.

If there is one downside to the waterjet cutting system, it may have something to do with the risk of delamination. While it can somehow manage 3D material cutting, it tends to exhibit a limited ability when working on cavities and sandwich structures. 

It is possible to cut materials that pose limited access, however, it may necessitate you to surmount those challenges first. 

Waterjet systems can carry out a variety of tasks such as ablation, structuring, and cutting, particularly on stone, thick metals, and ceramic materials. Materials with a thickness range of anywhere between 0.4 to 2 inches would most benefit from water jet cutting.  

Safety and Precision 

When it comes to precision, laser cutting is a notch higher when compared to the water jet technique. It usually comes with a cut size slit of 0.02 inches. 

Due to the strong amount of force used, thin and small parts will not usually fare well with it. Therefore, extreme care and caution must be observed when handling such materials with waterjet.

Waterjet systems are not known to produce thermal stress on the subject material being cut or sliced through, however, adding some abrasive particles to the pressurized water may run the risk of having a sand-blasted look. 

Additionally, the water jet machine operator will need to wear high-quality goggles to protect both his eyes and face.  

Laser Cutting 

Laser cutting machines depend a lot on a gas laser to work and for its energy requirement. This would include the CO2 laser. Under the guidance of mirrors, pure CO2 will be transmitted through a beam, heading towards the direction of the material. 

The source of the laser in these machines can be located right inside it. As for the laser beam, it can produce an output that is anywhere between 1500 and 2600 Watts. 

handle works

Materials and Applications

Laser cutting systems perform exceptionally well if you are working on materials that are between 0.12 to 0.4-inch thickness. Most of the time, they are taken advantage of in handling and cutting flat sheets of steel with a medium thickness. It is typical for laser cutting systems to handle works involving drilling, welding, cutting, ablation, engraving, structuring.  

Precision and Safety

While safety goggles are not an absolute necessity here, laser cutting systems may generate dust and smoke. If you are working on metals and plastic materials, it may even produce toxic fumes. This goes to show that proper ventilation in your workspace is of paramount importance, and thus can’t be put aside. 

Overall, compared to waterjet cutting methods, there is a minimum amount of risk involved with laser cutting systems. The same is also true when it comes to the subsequent cleanup and the amount of waste produced.  

What Makes Waterjets Cutting Distinct from Laser Cutting Method? Read More »

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When it comes to their material cutting concerns, companies involved in the manufacturing space favor the use of waterjet cutting and laser cutting techniques. 

With respect to the material in question and the result they desire to have, one of these two methods would be most appropriate for a given application. 

Before making any conclusion that one of which is better than the other, it would help a lot if we will examine first what their fundamental differences are, in terms of processes as well as the materials they are known to work well with. From identifying what their distinct qualities are from each other, we can draw a line on how we can use them for our various material cutting requirements. 

Water Jet Cutting

laser cuttersUnlike laser cutters, a water jet cutting system, denoting its name, makes use of highly pressurized water to cut or slice through a material. Abrasive materials in the form of aluminum oxide and garnets can be used if you want to further intensify their cutting power. 

Besides increasing its cutting ability, the addition of abrasives to the water before getting pressurized will significantly help in reducing cutting time to half. 

The working principle behind the waterjets system of cutting is derived from nature itself, particularly the erosion of soil in mountains. The waterjet technique is, however, an amplified version of erosion. The main difference is that a waterjet is executed at a higher speed and concentration. 

With the help of a high-pressure pump, the water can be driven through rigid hoses. This action will lay the groundwork for a highly powerful/forceful jet of water. 

If laser cutters have their laser source right inside the machine itself, waterjet pumps and work areas are often separate.  

Applications and Materials 

One reason why the waterjet system of cutting quickly elevated itself as the material cutting of choice among many industries is due to its ability to cut virtually any material, even the combination of materials.

If there is one downside to the waterjet cutting system, it may have something to do with the risk of delamination. While it can somehow manage 3D material cutting, it tends to exhibit a limited ability when working on cavities and sandwich structures. 

It is possible to cut materials that pose limited access, however, it may necessitate you to surmount those challenges first. 

Waterjet systems can carry out a variety of tasks such as ablation, structuring, and cutting, particularly on stone, thick metals, and ceramic materials. Materials with a thickness range of anywhere between 0.4 to 2 inches would most benefit from water jet cutting.  

Safety and Precision 

When it comes to precision, laser cutting is a notch higher when compared to the water jet technique. It usually comes with a cut size slit of 0.02 inches. 

Due to the strong amount of force used, thin and small parts will not usually fare well with it. Therefore, extreme care and caution must be observed when handling such materials with waterjet.

Waterjet systems are not known to produce thermal stress on the subject material being cut or sliced through, however, adding some abrasive particles to the pressurized water may run the risk of having a sand-blasted look. 

Additionally, the water jet machine operator will need to wear high-quality goggles to protect both his eyes and face.  

Laser Cutting 

Laser cutting machines depend a lot on a gas laser to work and for its energy requirement. This would include the CO2 laser. Under the guidance of mirrors, pure CO2 will be transmitted through a beam, heading towards the direction of the material. 

The source of the laser in these machines can be located right inside it. As for the laser beam, it can produce an output that is anywhere between 1500 and 2600 Watts. 

handle works

Materials and Applications

Laser cutting systems perform exceptionally well if you are working on materials that are between 0.12 to 0.4-inch thickness. Most of the time, they are taken advantage of in handling and cutting flat sheets of steel with a medium thickness. It is typical for laser cutting systems to handle works involving drilling, welding, cutting, ablation, engraving, structuring.  

Precision and Safety

While safety goggles are not an absolute necessity here, laser cutting systems may generate dust and smoke. If you are working on metals and plastic materials, it may even produce toxic fumes. This goes to show that proper ventilation in your workspace is of paramount importance, and thus can’t be put aside. 

Overall, compared to waterjet cutting methods, there is a minimum amount of risk involved with laser cutting systems. The same is also true when it comes to the subsequent cleanup and the amount of waste produced.  

Why Waterjet Cutting Machines Work on Wood?

Machine Repair and Engineering /
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machineryThe use of waterjet cutting machines is fast gaining traction in many businesses and across various industries, too. It is now among the most in-demand and most popular other modern material cutting methods we have today. 

But we have a million-dollar question here. Are they indeed awesome and great? Can they cut and slice through anything? Is waterjet cutting technology all that they are hyped up to be? Our resounding answer to this is ‘yes’. It can!

Some people are bewildered by waterjet cutting technology, alongside the many wonders that it is capable of delivering. One of the most common misperceptions about the waterjet technology of cutting is that it can’t handle wood material. 

If they can, it runs the risk of causing damage to the material to a certain degree. Or that it can completely ruin it. This is a blatant lie, and we ought to rectify such wrong impressions about it. It is time that we debunk this myth, once and for all.  

If you are wondering if the waterjet system can cut wood, yes it can! Waterjet technology, according to industry insiders as well as expert minds in this area, this kind of material cutting method can cut through almost everything. It can cut and slice through stone, ceramic, glass, plastic, foam, and even wood.  

There is a sundry of different reasons why many people are under the notion that waterjet systems are not incapable of cutting through wood. Here are some backgrounders on this, just so you know and understand. 

The resilience of the wood will likely deflect the waterjet’s impact. 

The strong stream of water in the waterjet system is extremely high that makes it more than capable of penetrating through a block of wood. Abrasive garnet material can be mixed with water to further enhance its inherent cutting power. 

Put everything all up with extremely high pressure of 60,000 psi and your system will cut through up to 5” thick if block material. With consideration to the water pressure, it’s projected cutting speed can run to a minimum of 600”/minute.  

Wood splitting

Waterjet cutting machines can be controlled or can be as delicate as we’d like them to be. Computer numeric control (CNC) waterjets will deliver since we can program how they will perform and carry out their functions. They can easily cut materials at a controlled but precise pace, in a fashion that will not put the subject material in harm’s way.   

Wood tends to absorb water

Due to high pressure and velocity, the water jet will be speeding up real fast via the material so much so that it will not be leaving wet trails on its track on the surface. Anyone who is a certified professional waterjet operator could smoothly carry out the job successfully without any amount of water coming into contact with the object that you are trying to cut.  

Wood tends to get delaminated

Working in an extremely high-pressure environment will take away the risk of delamination. While waterjet cutting work is in progress, the abrasive materials help in cutting with no risk of delamination.   

A smooth, finished edge is not a good characteristic of wood. 

You need to partner up with a reputable CNC waterjet fabricating team that can deliver close tolerance, free from distortion parts. They can produce superior edge quality without any burrs and little to no need for secondary finishing.  

What’re Our Chances of Working on Wood with Knots?

If you know that you will be making use of a heavy machinery cutting technique in the likes of a waterjet cutting system, we highly recommend that you only use high-quality pieces of wood. You know that you have the best kind when it does not have any knot. 

Pieces of wood that have knots in them are not only expensive, handling and working with them is often a wasteful effort, too. Worse, this type of wood is not likely to produce the best version of the final product you have in mind. The odds are high that it will be far from being good. 

Of course, you can calibrate your cutting machine to try and make it seamlessly cut through the knot, but it will run the risk of consuming so many resources with overkill force on those areas that do not have any knots. 

The uneven pressure brought about by a drastic increase in settings could induce alteration to the final product. 

How Does Waterjet Cutting Machine Work?

Guided by computer software, you need to come up with a 3D technical drawing. This is referred to as mechanical design automation or MDA. Many people know this as computer aided-drafting or CAD. 

Then your basic cutting parameters come into focus here such as the desired edge finish, material type, and thickness.  

After loading your program with the correct information and data, the computer program will run through its vetting system to help ensure that correct offsets, proper speeds, and other important parameters are in place. All this will secure that the object you are trying to produce is geometrically correct.  

If everything else falls into their proper places according to plan, the process can be run and your waterjet cutting machine will take charge of creating the product you have in mind.  

 

Why Waterjet Cutting Machines Work on Wood? Read More »

Spread the love

machineryThe use of waterjet cutting machines is fast gaining traction in many businesses and across various industries, too. It is now among the most in-demand and most popular other modern material cutting methods we have today. 

But we have a million-dollar question here. Are they indeed awesome and great? Can they cut and slice through anything? Is waterjet cutting technology all that they are hyped up to be? Our resounding answer to this is ‘yes’. It can!

Some people are bewildered by waterjet cutting technology, alongside the many wonders that it is capable of delivering. One of the most common misperceptions about the waterjet technology of cutting is that it can’t handle wood material. 

If they can, it runs the risk of causing damage to the material to a certain degree. Or that it can completely ruin it. This is a blatant lie, and we ought to rectify such wrong impressions about it. It is time that we debunk this myth, once and for all.  

If you are wondering if the waterjet system can cut wood, yes it can! Waterjet technology, according to industry insiders as well as expert minds in this area, this kind of material cutting method can cut through almost everything. It can cut and slice through stone, ceramic, glass, plastic, foam, and even wood.  

There is a sundry of different reasons why many people are under the notion that waterjet systems are not incapable of cutting through wood. Here are some backgrounders on this, just so you know and understand. 

The resilience of the wood will likely deflect the waterjet’s impact. 

The strong stream of water in the waterjet system is extremely high that makes it more than capable of penetrating through a block of wood. Abrasive garnet material can be mixed with water to further enhance its inherent cutting power. 

Put everything all up with extremely high pressure of 60,000 psi and your system will cut through up to 5” thick if block material. With consideration to the water pressure, it’s projected cutting speed can run to a minimum of 600”/minute.  

Wood splitting

Waterjet cutting machines can be controlled or can be as delicate as we’d like them to be. Computer numeric control (CNC) waterjets will deliver since we can program how they will perform and carry out their functions. They can easily cut materials at a controlled but precise pace, in a fashion that will not put the subject material in harm’s way.   

Wood tends to absorb water

Due to high pressure and velocity, the water jet will be speeding up real fast via the material so much so that it will not be leaving wet trails on its track on the surface. Anyone who is a certified professional waterjet operator could smoothly carry out the job successfully without any amount of water coming into contact with the object that you are trying to cut.  

Wood tends to get delaminated

Working in an extremely high-pressure environment will take away the risk of delamination. While waterjet cutting work is in progress, the abrasive materials help in cutting with no risk of delamination.   

A smooth, finished edge is not a good characteristic of wood. 

You need to partner up with a reputable CNC waterjet fabricating team that can deliver close tolerance, free from distortion parts. They can produce superior edge quality without any burrs and little to no need for secondary finishing.  

What’re Our Chances of Working on Wood with Knots?

If you know that you will be making use of a heavy machinery cutting technique in the likes of a waterjet cutting system, we highly recommend that you only use high-quality pieces of wood. You know that you have the best kind when it does not have any knot. 

Pieces of wood that have knots in them are not only expensive, handling and working with them is often a wasteful effort, too. Worse, this type of wood is not likely to produce the best version of the final product you have in mind. The odds are high that it will be far from being good. 

Of course, you can calibrate your cutting machine to try and make it seamlessly cut through the knot, but it will run the risk of consuming so many resources with overkill force on those areas that do not have any knots. 

The uneven pressure brought about by a drastic increase in settings could induce alteration to the final product. 

How Does Waterjet Cutting Machine Work?

Guided by computer software, you need to come up with a 3D technical drawing. This is referred to as mechanical design automation or MDA. Many people know this as computer aided-drafting or CAD. 

Then your basic cutting parameters come into focus here such as the desired edge finish, material type, and thickness.  

After loading your program with the correct information and data, the computer program will run through its vetting system to help ensure that correct offsets, proper speeds, and other important parameters are in place. All this will secure that the object you are trying to produce is geometrically correct.  

If everything else falls into their proper places according to plan, the process can be run and your waterjet cutting machine will take charge of creating the product you have in mind.