Waterjet Cutting

Any material.
No heat.
150 mm thick.

CNC waterjet cutting uses high-pressure water with garnet abrasive to erode material — no heat, no HAZ, cuts any material. Thick metals, stone, glass, composites, food-grade materials. The go-to process when heat sensitivity or material diversity matters.

Waterjet Cutting Quote Laser vs waterjet

Up to 150 mm ±0.1 mm Any material No heat

01 · What it is

How Waterjet Cutting works.

Waterjet cutting uses water pressurized to 400–600 MPa (60,000–90,000 psi) through a small orifice (0.25–0.4 mm) to create a high-velocity water stream. Garnet abrasive is added to the stream, creating an abrasive water stream that erodes material by micro-abrasion rather than melting or shearing.

Because cutting occurs at room temperature without any heat input, waterjet produces no heat-affected zone, no thermal stress, no material phase changes. This makes it the universal cutting process — works on virtually any material regardless of heat sensitivity, conductivity, hardness, or reflectivity.

Primary advantages: cuts any material (metals, stone, glass, composites, food), no HAZ, thick material capability (150+ mm). Primary disadvantages: slower than laser on thin metal, larger kerf (1–1.5 mm), higher operating cost (garnet + water consumption). Best for heat-sensitive, thick, or non-metallic materials.

02 · Specifications

Capability specs.

150 mm+

Max thickness

Steel 150 mm, aluminum 200 mm, stone 300 mm+ — practical limits vary

±0.1 mm

Precision

±0.1 mm typical on precision waterjets. Standard waterjet: ±0.2 mm

1–1.5 mm

Kerf width

Wider than laser (0.2 mm) and plasma (1 mm) — accounts for waterjet kerf in design

Ra 6 µm

Surface finish

Typical cut edge. Smooth waterjet mode (slower): Ra 3 µm achievable

Zero

Heat-affected zone

No thermal effects. Material properties unchanged adjacent to cut

Any material

Compatibility

Metals, stone, glass, composites, food, cloth — if it exists, waterjet cuts it

400–600 MPa

Water pressure

60,000–90,000 psi water. Garnet abrasive added for metal cutting

Stacking

Multiple sheets

Multiple thin sheets can be cut simultaneously in one cycle for efficiency

03 · Applications

Where Waterjet Cutting excels.

Thick aluminum plate

Aerospace aluminum plate above 20 mm — avoids heat-affected zone of laser

Titanium cutting

Thick titanium plate — no HAZ preserves aerospace material properties

Stone & granite

Architectural stone, kitchen countertops — only waterjet cuts natural stone precisely

Composite materials

Carbon fiber, fiberglass, laminated composites — cuts without delamination

Glass

Cosmetic glass, windows, technical glass — no thermal stress or cracking

Gasket materials

Silicone, rubber, cork gaskets — waterjet is standard for gasket cutting

Food-grade cutting

Food portion cutting, sanitary process equipment — no contamination

Heat-sensitive metals

Beryllium copper springs, hardened steel where heat would re-soften

Very thick plate

Applications above laser/plasma capability — marine, construction, heavy industry

04 · When not to use it

Not suitable for:

Every process has its limits. Being honest about where Waterjet Cutting isn\'t the right answer saves time and money.

Thin sheet metal below 2 mm — laser is much faster and cleaner
Parts needing tighter than ±0.1 mm tolerance — CNC milling is more precise
Very high volume production of simple thin shapes — laser or plasma cheaper per unit
Parts requiring sharp inside corners below 1.5 mm radius (kerf width limit)
Applications where wet processing is problematic (must dry parts after cutting)

FAQ

Waterjet Cutting questions.

Waterjet cuts by abrasion — garnet particles traveling at 3× speed of sound physically erode material particle by particle. Zero thermal energy imparted to the material. Contrast with laser (melts/vaporizes) and plasma (melts), both of which create HAZ. For aerospace aluminum in T6 temper, heat-sensitive hardened steels, and heat-treatable alloys, waterjet is the only cutting process that doesn't degrade material properties at the cut edge.

Thin material (< 6 mm): laser 3–5× faster. Medium (6–15 mm): roughly even. Thick (> 15 mm): waterjet faster, can cut thicknesses laser cannot. Laser cuts 10 mm steel at 3000 mm/min; waterjet cuts same at 1500 mm/min. But waterjet handles 50 mm steel at 500 mm/min while laser cannot practically cut that thickness.

Typical pricing: thin metal $3–8 per linear meter (vs laser $1–3). Thick metal $8–20 per linear meter (vs laser impossible). Stone: $10–30 per linear meter. Waterjet is more expensive than laser for thin material but competitive or cheaper for thick/difficult material. Operating cost driven by garnet consumption and water pressure system energy.

Minimum inside corner radius: 0.8 mm for thin material, 1.5 mm for thick. Below this, kerf width interferes. For tight inside corners, waterjet produces a small radius, not a sharp corner. If sharp internal corners are needed, specify drilled starting holes at corners, or use wire EDM for sharp-corner cutting.

Waterjet generates a slurry of water + cut material particles + used garnet. This waste is separated in settling tanks — cut material recovered for recycling, used garnet disposed per regulations, water filtered and reused. For stainless and aluminum, chip recovery offsets some material cost. Operationally cleaner than plasma (no fumes) or laser (no vaporization).

Waterjet can cut very thin materials (below 1 mm) but kerf width becomes significant relative to part size. For thin sheet below 2 mm, laser is preferred for cleaner cuts. Waterjet sweet spot: 3–150 mm thickness across any material type.