The waterjet cutting, also known as water pressure cutting or waterjet, is the most versatile system in existence, as it is capable of cutting any type of material, whether ferrous, non-ferrous, stones, plastics, etc. This versatility meant that waterjet cutting was, for a long time, a very popular option for all types of workshops specialising in more than one material.
However, this type of pressurised waterjet cutting has some disadvantages that must be taken into account, especially in terms of energy, consumables and maintenance costs. For this reason, many companies are now turning to another versatile technology such as fiber lase, provided that the material can be processed with fibre lasers.
Waterjet cutting began to be used in industry in 1970, cutting soft materials such as cardboard. A decade later, abrasive waterjet cutting was invented, making it possible to start cutting hard materials.
The way pressurised waterjet cutting works is both simple and complicated. In a basic explanation, we could say that it consists of water circulating from the pump to the support head at high pressure and cutting the material
However, the whole process involves very complex engineering. For example, there is a pneumatically operated valve in the cutting head that causes the water to pass through a small diameter orifice, creating a supersonic flow of water.
Just to give you an idea of the water pressure, in our taps at home the pressure is usually 4 bar, while the water in the fire hoses is about 14 bar. In a water jet cutting machine, the pressure is usually between 4100 and 6500 bar. The higher the pressure, the higher the flow velocity. At 4 bar, the flowing water from a tap travels at 103 km/h. At 6500 bar, the water jet travels at almost 4000 km/h, more than three times the speed of sound.
Waterjet cutting is one of the most versatile systems, both in terms of thickness and variety of materials. However, it must be taken into account that for metal cutting it is the slowest system of all.
The maximum recommended cutting capacity in steel is up to 150 mm. The hole it can cut is 0.5 mm the smallest with quality is by one the thickness if we cut with oxygen and by 0.5 mm the thickness with nitrogen.
The The average cutting speed of steel for 5 mm thickness is 0,5 m/min, for 16 mm thickness is 0,1 m/min and for 25 mm thickness is 0,05 m/min.
The very good cutting quality and the machine set-up process is simple, which allows different shapes and thicknesses to be worked quickly.
The main disadvantages are that maintenance is high and continuous, consumables are expensive and energy consumption is also very high. This has an impact on the company's economy.
In addition, water oxidises the steel, so it is not a recommended material for cutting by jet cutting.
At Pérez Camps we recommend that you opt for the fibre laser instead of the water jet. This is the best choice for cutting metal, steel, aluminium, brass and copper.
It is the the fastest and most accurate system compared to other cutting systems and the quality of the cut is excellent in thin thicknesses and suitable for medium thicknesses. The smallest hole it can cut, with high quality, is only once the thickness.
As with waterjet cutting machines, the machine set-up process is simple, allowing different shapes and thicknesses to be cut quickly and easily.
The cost of maintenance and consumables is low, while energy consumption is low/medium, depending on the laser power. In this case, the cost differences with the waterjet are very large, something that is noticeable in the bills and that at the end of the year saves you a lot of money.
The machine's operating costs are average, but its high cutting speed reduces these costs per part, making this technology the most productive on the market.
The maximum recommended cutting capacity in steel is up to 25 mm. The average cutting speed for 1 mm thick steel is 35 m/min, for 16 mm thick steel it is 0.8 m/min and for 25 mm thick steel it is 0.6 m/min.
It not only machines plates, but also metal tubes. It is a recommended technology for any customer looking for versatility and quality. Boilermaking, machinery manufacturers, etc...
If you still have doubts about what type of machine you need for your workshop, we encourage you to to make a free consultation with us. You can explain to us what materials you want to work with, what products you want to achieve, your manufacturing rhythm and much more to give you the best personalised advice.
