The water jet machine, instead of the diamond wheel, uses water to cut materials. Waterjet cutting can best be described as a controlled accelerated erosion process.

Water Jet system consists of high pressure (60.000 psi) water, mixed with abrasives, that passes through a gauge orifice at three times the speed of sound. Such pressure produces a pure working power able to cut any shape of materials. In comparison with the traditional diamond cutting system it has the following advantages: flexibility, high accuracy, works on any material, low cost, lack of heat generation.

Waterjet cutting is best described as an accelerated erosion process. For this reason, waterjet can cut or erode through virtually any material known, making it one of the most versatile machines available.

Tolerances

Depending on the system operated by the contract cutting company, tolerances of less than +/- 0.005" should easily be held.

How thick can we cut?

Waterjet can cut 10" thick stainless steel without too much difficulty. (Not all systems can cut this thick.) At the other end of the scale, heart valves for transplants are also cut with water.