The Best Materials for Waterjet Cutting: A Complete List
You may be aware of waterjet cutting and how common it is in various industries, but have you ever asked yourself why? But it is more than the precision, more than the slicing through of all those types of material. It is knowing which types of material this innovative method of cutting is most effective in cutting. You can cut anything from metal to fabrics using waterjet cutting as it relies on the pressure from water and garnet particles. Not all materials are cut in the same way when it comes to waterjet cutting.
What is Waterjet Cutting and How Does It Work?
Waterjet cutting can be described as an integrated technique of eroding materials with high-pressure water. In this technique, high-pressure water is jetted through a ruby or a diamond needle to a mixing chamber. A specially designed nozzle, when the water comes out of it, forms a partial vacuum that will pull garnet sand inside the stream. High-pressure water and abrasive garnet particles are then focused on the target material for removal. This intensified flow wears the material away quickly thereby effectively ‘slicing’ through it. Because the process is equally fast and powerful waterjet cutting is one of the best machining that is used in various sectors in the world. Due to its flexibility to penetrate and shave an assortment of workpieces, this tool has been considered essential in many manufacturing industries and metalwork.
Benefits of Water Jet Cutting
Waterjet cutting offers numerous benefits that make it an ideal choice for many applications:
1. Precision: This technique is very accurate and can work to cuts that are at least four times more accurate in comparison to plasma cutting. it enables the production of elaborate designs as well as elaborate working patterns.
2. Cold Cutting: Another advantage of waterjet cutting is doing it is that this is a cold process and therefore does not put stress or distort the material. This helps to avoid damage to delicate parts.
3. Smooth Edges: The process enables a very fine edge to be made without any fraying or burrs being imparted on the cut area. Products can be cut directly to size, shape, and thickness on the cutting table, thus avoiding the need to carry out some finishing procedures.
4. Environmentally Friendly: Waterjet cutting is environmentally friendly because no chemicals or hazardous emissions are formed in the process. A closed-water recycle system is also employed therefore it says little to the environment.
5. Versatile: This method is suitable to cut all types of materials; the metallic ones such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, and brass, and the softer ones like rubber, foam, and fabric. Its versatility does therefore make it applicable to a great variety of industries.
The Best Material for Water Cutting
Waterjet cutting is a versatile method of cutting materials. It can effectively cut a wide range of materials:
1. Metals: It operates with routinely hardenable material and non-routine material like Tool steel, Aluminum, Titanium, Stainless steel, and different from of alloys. It provides correct clamping and cutting of the workpiece without distortion of its physical features. The cost of mentals are,
Tool Steel: $3,000 to $5,000 per ton
Aluminum: $1,800 to $3,000 per ton
Titanium: $10,000 to $20,000 per ton
Stainless Steel: $5,000 to $8,000 per ton
Alloys: Varies greatly depending on the type of alloy, but generally $1,000 to $10,000 per ton
2. Natural Materials: Thus, waterjet cutting can cut stone, glass, ceramic, and wood with no instances of difficulty. It preserves highly sensitive fabrics and produces complex patterns at the same time. The cost of Natural materials are as follows,
Stone: $500 to $2,000 per ton, depending on the type (e.g., granite, marble, etc.)
Glass: $2,000 to $5,000 per ton, depending on the type and quality
Ceramic: $1,000 to $4,000 per ton
Wood: $500 to $2,000 per ton, depending on the type (e.g., plywood, hardwood, etc.)
3. Synthetic Materials: It deals with carbon fiber, composites, fiberglass, plastics, and hard rubber materials. It can build perspective shapes that do not bring about thermo restriction. The cost of synthetic materials are as follow,
Carbon Fiber: $10,000 to $50,000 per ton
Composites: $5,000 to $20,000 per ton, depending on the type and composition
Fiberglass: $1,000 to $3,000 per ton
Plastics: $1,000 to $5,000 per ton, depending on the type (e.g., PVC, polyethylene, etc.)
Hard Rubber: $2,000 to $4,000 per ton
4. Laminates: It effectively sliced through bimetals, thermocouples, layered sheets of the material, and so on. They make it suitable for manufacturing gauged components. The cost of laminates are,
Bimetals: $3,000 to $5,000 per ton, depending on the combination of metals.
Thermocouples: $100 to $1,000 per unit, depending on the type and quantity.
Layered Sheets: $500 to $2,000 per ton, depending on the materials used.
5. Soft Materials: It is effective with soft rubbers, foams, some polymers, fabrics, carpets, leathers, paper, and most foods. With its versatility, it is easy to make accurate deep cuts and smooth shallow cuts in different operations. The cost of soft materials are as follow,
Soft Rubbers: $1,000 to $3,000 per ton
Foams: $500 to $2,000 per ton, depending on the type (e.g., polyurethane foam, etc.)
Polymers: $1,000 to $5,000 per ton, depending on the type
Fabrics: $5 to $50 per square yard, depending on the type (e.g., cotton, synthetic fabrics, etc.)
Carpets: $10 to $100 per square yard, depending on the quality and type
Leathers: $20 to $200 per square foot, depending on the type and quality
Paper: $100 to $500 per ton, depending on the type and quality
Foods: Varies greatly, generally $1,000 to $5,000 per ton, depending on the type and source
Factors Influence Water Cutting
1. Productivity
Frequently, nozzle pressure is a cause of great influence the productivity. In general, benefits from higher pressure for enhanced cutting speed are relatively successful to up to a rate of 50,000 – 60,000 or even higher PSI. Past this point, there is the possibility of equipment wear as well as the potential cause of downtimes which lowers the efficiency of the operations.
2. Abrasive Choice
It has been determined that the abrasive used also has a critical impact on attaining the right water pressure for abrasive water jet cutting. A higher mesh number lets one use a smaller orifice of the nozzle without blockage thus increasing the output pressure. For most applications, an 80 mesh is ideal while a 120 mesh is best for applications that require a precise kerf such as in thin materials.
3. Water Velocity
Water velocity is another important parameter of the cutting process which defines the penetration depth of the water jet. Water also plays an important role in making high velocity of water which is necessary for the cutting process but it doesn’t mean that the pressure and velocity of water are the same. The use of more pressure is more efficient than trying to use a smaller opening of the nozzle to produce high-velocity water pressure since velocity and pressure differ.
4. Multiple Cutting Heads
It is thereby possible to increase the cutting heads and increase matter productivity without having to increase pressure. Yet, every metering cutting head will require a high horsepower pump to realize adequate pressure and the stems can wear out at different rates which will distort the cutting precision.
The Rise of Waterjet Cutting Technology
Waterjet cutting technology has gained immense popularity worldwide due to its versatility and precision in various industries. This method utilizes high-pressure water streams to cut through materials, making it ideal for a wide range of applications, including metal, glass, and stone. As industries seek efficient and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional cutting methods, waterjet cutting continues to be a preferred choice for manufacturers and fabricators globally.
In Austria, several companies specialize in waterjet cutting, providing advanced solutions such as Waterjet Companies Austria which focuses on innovative cutting techniques. For those in the tile industry, Water Jet Tile Cutting Machine Austria offers cutting-edge technology for precise tile shapes and designs. Additionally, Marble Water Jet Cutting Machine Austria caters specifically to the intricate cutting of marble, ensuring beautiful finishes. For stone processing, Waterjet Stone Cutting Austria provides high-quality services, while Waterjet Tile Cutting Austria delivers exceptional results for various tile materials. Finally, the Stone Water Jet Cutting Machine Austria ensures that even the toughest stone materials can be cut with ease and precision, meeting the diverse needs of customers across the region.
Conclusion
Waterjet cutting is just a revolution in the field of the manufacturing industry. It is very precise yet quite liberal in its approach when used in the laboratory. You can cut through a lot of metals, and natural and synthetic substances with a lot of ease. It is a method for cutting circuits to avoid damaging the components but at the same time facilitating precise cutting. Among-cutting technologies, waterjet cutting can be called one of the most effective and environmentally friendly. In particular, if you are in search of an effective cutting technique, then you might turn your eyes to waterjet technology.