If you’re in manufacturing, fabrication, or even custom design, chances are you’ve heard about water jet cutting—but how exactly does it work? Whether you’re just getting started with CNC machining or considering investing in a water jet system, understanding the basics of this powerful cutting method is essential.
In this guide, we’ll explain how water jet cutting works, why it’s so precise, and what materials it can handle. Let’s dive in.
💧 What Is Water Jet Cutting?
Water jet cutting is a cold-cutting CNC process that uses a high-pressure stream of water, often mixed with abrasive particles, to slice through materials. Because there’s no heat involved, it’s ideal for materials that are sensitive to high temperatures, like certain metals, plastics, and composites.
✅ Fun Fact: Water jet systems can generate pressures of up to 90,000 PSI—that’s powerful enough to cut through steel over 6 inches thick!
🛠️ How Does Water Jet Cutting Work?
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
- Pressurization: Water is pressurized using an intensifier pump or direct drive pump to reach ultra-high levels (typically 40,000–90,000 PSI).
- Ejection Through Nozzle: The water is forced through a small, precision-engineered jewel orifice, creating a focused, high-velocity jet.
- Abrasive Injection (Optional): For harder materials, abrasives like garnet are added to the stream via a mixing chamber.
- Cutting Action: The high-speed jet erodes the material on contact, creating clean, precise cuts without heat-affected zones.
Want to see a water jet cutter in action? Check out our WMT300 3020-CL 5-Axis CNC Waterjet Cutter designed for steel, copper, aluminum, and more.
✂️ What Can Water Jet Cut?
Water jet cutting works on a wide variety of materials, including:
- Metals (steel, titanium, aluminum, copper)
- Stone (granite, marble)
- Glass
- Plastics
- Rubber
- Composites
- Wood (with low moisture content)
🔍 Explore our Material Compatibility Guide for more details.
💡 Advantages of Water Jet Cutting
- No Heat-Affected Zones (HAZ)
Great for materials that warp or melt under high temps. - High Precision
Tolerances up to ±0.001 inches with minimal kerf width. - Eco-Friendly
Uses water and natural garnet; minimal waste compared to laser or plasma. - Versatility
Cuts virtually any material, from fragile glass to hardened steel.
🔧 Types of Water Jet Cutting
| Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Water Jet | Uses only water | Soft materials like foam, rubber |
| Abrasive Water Jet | Mixes in garnet abrasive | Hard materials like metal and stone |
📘 Additional Resources
Final Thoughts
Water jet cutting is one of the most precise and versatile CNC cutting methods available. With no heat distortion, excellent edge quality, and the ability to cut virtually any material, it’s no wonder this technology is rapidly growing across industries.
Ready to upgrade your shop with water jet cutting? Explore our industrial water jet machines or request a custom quote today.