What is an advantage laser processing has over waterjet?
The cutting speeds of laser systems in certain cases are at least three times greater than abrasive waterjet. Acceleration is very important in laser processing. Laser cutting requires a constant rate of speed.

How deep can laser systems cut?
Laser cutting becomes limited when material thickness increases. For example, cutting carbon steel over 10 mm thick may not be effective.

What is an abrasive waterjet?
An abrasive waterjet is a machining tool that uses high-pressure water mixed with abrasive to cut or drill materials of all types.

How does abrasive waterjet work?
High-pressure water (50,000-60,000 p.s.i.) passes through an orifice--typically made from a ruby or diamond--that ranges from 0.005 to 0.013 inches in diameter. The flow enters a mixing tube or nozzle that ranges in size from 0.015 through 0.05 inches in diameter. The stream of water causes a vacuum, which draws in finely crushed abrasive, which is typically garnet. As the water enters the mixing tube it blends with the garnet, exiting from the tube and making contact with the material. The stand-off (distance between the exit side of the mixing tube and the material) is important to determine. If it is too small, the mixing tube will clog. If it is too great, frosting (a haze on the material) will occur and specifications will become difficult to hold.

What are the main advantages to using abrasive waterjet?
Abrasive waterjet causes very little stress to the material being cut, is a very flexible method of cutting complex parts and does not produce heat-affected zones as do alternative cutting methods such as laser, plasma and EDM.

How deep can abrasive waterjet cut?
An abrasive waterjet can cut any material, including titanium up to 12 inches thick. It can cut many other softer materials even thicker than this.

What is the best surface finish waterjet cutting can achieve?
The best surface finish waterjet cutting can achieve is about 125 rms. While a premium-quality cut often achieves net-shaped parts that require no secondary machining, a lower-grade cut may be preferable. In some cases, a rougher surface finish is more desirable, especially with parts that do not require close tolerances such as those that are roughed out prior to final machining. Choosing the correct surface finish and taper is critical to determining the cost of a waterjet-cut part. In fact, the cost can be greatly reduced if a lower-quality cut is allowable. This depends, of course, on the tolerances and edge quality that are required. Please consult the LAI customer service team to determine which surface finish is best for your application.

Does waterjet cutting produce a taper on the material?
Yes. Taper is the difference between the top profile of the cut and the bottom profile. Like surface finish, taper also depends on the cutting speed--the faster the cutting, the larger the taper will be. Generally, lower tolerances permit faster movement of the cutting heads and less machining time. Higher accuracy requires slower cutting. When the waterjet cuts though material quickly, the cutting stream leaves a V-shaped taper since it cannot completely eliminate the material. As cutting is slowed to optimal speed, the taper will be reduced until both sides of the cut are parallel or nearly parallel. Generally, the taper on a high-quality cut is 0.003" - 0.005" on each side. As cutting is slowed further, the stream widens at the bottom, resulting in reverse taper.