Why waterjet cutting could make sense for your CNC shop

Evaluating different types of cutting for your CNC machine shop? Why would you choose various types of cutting over others?

Today, we’ll give you the benefits of waterjet cutting so you can decide whether it makes sense for your company. Here’s the leading reasons to choose it:

Reduce your waste disposal costs

With waterjet cutting, there’s absolutely no hazardous waste to dispose of. You don’t have any waste disposal costs to account for in your budget. And typically, waterjets only use ½ to 1 gallon of water per minute they cut.

Cut thick materials without a problem 

A CNC waterjet easily cuts through materials 2 – 3 inches thick, regardless of their hardness. It may seem like water may not be able to cut through materials as well as, say, plasma. But hard materials 2 – 3 inches thick aren’t a problem.

Reduce your cutting time 

With CNC waterjets, the fixturing process is simplified. Cutting with a waterjet does not move the material. It also doesn’t cause any vibration or stress your material in any way. At the same time, it retains most of its cutting power and remains effective even on uneven materials. Waterjet cutting even works well for cutting fiber-reinforced materials, reflective materials, and materials with stacked layers.

Reduce your material waste 

A waterjet stream only removes .5 mm of material when cutting. Compared to other types of cutting, this is less material removed. If you’re cutting hazardous or expensive material, the resulting savings can add up quite nicely.

Waterjet cutting is friendly to the environment 

Your customers may want to advertise to their clients that they’re environmentally friendly. Your clients may appreciate that you’re kind to the environment in your business processes too.

Waterjet cutting uses garnet as its abrasive. That’s an inert, non-reactive material. You’re not doing the environment harm when you use waterjet cutting, and you can advertise your environmental friendliness as a result.

Waterjet cutting won't damage your cut's quality 

Waterjet cutting runs cold. Other types of cutting run hot and can burn, melt, or crack your material. Other cutting types cause surface hardening, warping, and hazardous gas emission. You don’t experience any of these problems with waterjet cutting.

You now understand the benefits of waterjet cutting. With these in mind, you’re ready to make a decision that moves your business forward.