Waterjet Cutting

How does a waterjet machine work?

The machine first pressurizes conditioned tap water to approximately 45,000 psi through a variable speed direct drive/crankshaft pump. That pressurized water travels through the cutting head and exits through a tiny opening, called a jewel or orifice, in a controlled stream of .030" / .040" inches in diameter.

Custom Precision Technologies uses diamond orifices which can withstand the enormous pressure of the water. When required to cut harder materials, we also will mix the water with an abrasive, typically garnet, which is vacuum-fed through the venturi effect into the pressurized stream. This mixture then exits the chamber via a nozzle at a velocity above 1000 feet per second, creating an intense cutting stream.

The Waterjet Machine Process

The material to be cut is placed on an elevated surface above the machine's bed. Water is then raised to catch the existing stream & disperse it into the water-filled tank.

The cutting head, controlled by state-of-the-art CAD/CAM software, moves along a programmed path just above the material to be cut, precisely creating the part or pattern. CPT utilizes a cutting head that can lean or tilt into or away from the starting stock to minimize taper on thick materials.

Even with all of this pressure, minimal force per square inch is applied to the material due to the small surface area of contact from the jet. This generates an extremely low cutting force, allowing thin or unusual profiles on delicate parts without inducing stresses that can cause distortion.

Waterjet cutting does not require noxious gasses or corrosive liquids, and doesn’t create any hazardous byproducts or vapors. No heat-affected zones or mechanical stresses are left on a waterjet-cut surface. It is truly a versatile, productive, and "green" cold-cutting process.

Waterjet Advantages

Advantages

Cutting tolerances as close as +/-.003″, depending on material & thickness
High positional accuracies of +/-.001″
No taper specialized tilting head allows material up to 4" thick to be cut without any taper
Large cutting envelope, up to 72" x 230"
No Heat Affected Zones (HAZ) means no hardened edges
Cut almost any material, Aluminum to Zinc, with composites, plastic, & titanium (to name just a few) in between
Maximum material yield with small kerf and tight nesting
Can cut laminated & coated materials (Powder, PVC, UV, Ceramic, Plastic, Chromed, Anodized), regardless of coating thickness
Can cut material with a low melting point since no heat is applied
No distortion or warping of materials

Benefits

Lower costs–more parts from less material
Lower overall machining costs, especially if you waterjet cut net shape parts first
Provides a clean, machined edge finish, which means no burrs or slag, eliminating the need for secondary finishing
Thin-gauge material, especially polycarbonates, can be stacked for multiple part generation from one cut
No heat is applied, so the properties of the material do not change (no HAZ), which is important if working with tool steel, stainless steel, or aerospace metals
Fast turnaround and lower costs on prototypes – without the lead times and costs of creating custom dies or fixtures

Ready to get started?

To partner with Custom Precision Technologies, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

Email

info@cptprocessing.com

Call

954-975-5518

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Custom Precision Technologies (CPT), located in Pompano Beach, serves South Florida customers in their metal fabrication and prototyping needs. Conveniently located in Broward County, CPT offers its cutting and fabrication services to a wide range of companies in the Tri-County Area: Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, as well as the rest of the US.