Waterjet cutting is a highly precise process that uses high water pressure (60,000 psi) to cut through practically any material without distortion. The process is actually the same as water erosion found in nature, except for the fact it is far more accelerated and concentrated. This type of cutting is often used in the mining industry, aerospace sector, and for fabricating parts of machinery.
US Machine & Tool provides precision waterjet cutting services for manufacturers that need accurate components cut across a wide range of materials. Using water pressure up to 60,000 PSI, waterjet technology can cut complex shapes without introducing heat into the material.
This makes waterjet cutting a versatile option for parts, components, and production requirements involving metals, alloys, composites, and other materials that may not be well suited for traditional thermal cutting methods.
Waterjet cutting uses a highly concentrated stream of pressurized water to cut material according to a programmed design. For harder materials, an abrasive can be introduced into the water stream to provide additional cutting capability.
One of the primary advantages of this process is its ability to make precise cuts without creating a heat-affected zone. Because the material is cut without introducing significant heat, its physical properties are not altered by the cutting process.
For manufacturers, this makes waterjet cutting particularly useful when material integrity, complex geometry, or material versatility are important considerations.
One of the strengths of waterjet cutting is the range of materials the process can accommodate. US Machine & Tool can use waterjet technology for materials including:
Waterjet cutting is a cold-cutting process. Unlike thermal cutting methods, it does not create a heat-affected zone that can change the physical properties of the material surrounding the cut.
This can make waterjet cutting particularly valuable for heat-sensitive materials and components where maintaining material characteristics is important.
Waterjet technology is not limited to conventional sheet metals. The process can cut everything from steel and aluminum to high-temperature alloys, composites, rubber, glass, and stone.
This versatility gives manufacturers another option when a component or material is not ideally suited for laser or other cutting processes.
Computer-controlled waterjet cutting can follow detailed cutting paths to produce custom profiles and complex geometries. This makes the process useful for custom components based on customer drawings and specifications.
Waterjet-cut components typically do not require dedicated cutting dies or specialized tooling for each geometry. This can make the process useful for prototypes, custom components, and production requirements where dedicated tooling may not make sense.
Waterjet cutting is a manufacturing process that uses a highly pressurized stream of water to cut material. An abrasive can be added to the water stream when cutting harder materials such as metals and alloys.
Waterjet technology can cut a broad range of materials. US Machine & Tool’s capabilities include steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, Inconel, Waspaloy, Hastelloy, brass, copper, carbon fiber, plastics, composites, rubber, fiberglass, glass, wood, and stone.
No. One of the primary advantages of waterjet cutting is that it does not rely on heat to make the cut. This helps preserve the physical properties of the material surrounding the cut.
The best process depends on the material, thickness, geometry, tolerances, quantity, and other component requirements. Waterjet cutting can be particularly useful for heat-sensitive materials, thicker materials, reflective metals, composites, and other materials that may not be ideal candidates for thermal cutting.
Yes. Waterjet equipment follows programmed cutting paths, allowing it to produce detailed profiles and complex part geometries based on customer drawings and specifications.
No. Material versatility is one of the primary advantages of waterjet cutting. In addition to metals and alloys, waterjets can cut materials such as composites, carbon fiber, rubber, fiberglass, glass, wood, and stone.
Yes. In addition to waterjet cutting services, US Machine & Tool offers precision machining, laser cutting, metal stamping, welding and assembly, laser marking, and other manufacturing capabilities. Available processes can be evaluated based on the requirements of each project.
