Waterjet cutting: Waterjet cutting is a process that cuts sheet and plate with a very high pressure stream of water, usually carrying abrasive garnet, along a programmed path.
A pump pressurises water to several thousand bar and forces it through a tiny jewel orifice. For metal, stone and glass, garnet is fed into the stream to make an abrasive jet; pure water jets cut soft materials such as foam and rubber. There is no heat, so there is no heat-affected zone, and almost any material can be cut, including thick plate.
What it means for the price
Waterjet is slower than laser cutting on thin sheet, but competitive on thick plate and on materials a laser cannot cut. Cost is driven by cutting time (from cut length and thickness), abrasive used per minute, wear on nozzles and the pump, and the number of pierces. Abrasive is often one of the largest running costs.
Example: if a machine uses 0.4 kg of abrasive per minute and garnet costs €0.40 per kg, 20 minutes of cutting uses €3.20 of abrasive. The figures are an example.
Common confusions
Waterjet edges have a slight taper that grows with thickness, and the kerf is wider than a laser’s. Quotometry prices waterjet cutting today from a DXF or SVG drawing, by cut length, pierces, abrasive and the plate. Read waterjet vs laser vs plasma or see the waterjet process page.
Go deeper: Waterjet vs laser vs plasma cutting: thickness, accuracy, edge and cost