What are the disadvantages of waterjet?
Disadvantages of Waterjet Cutting Greater material thickness results in less accuracy since the thicker the material, the further the stream is from the nozzle, resulting in an inconsistent impact and an uneven cutting accuracy from top to bottom. The high-level answer is that abrasive waterjets can cut through 12 inches of most materials. Many users report cutting material even thicker than that. Most abrasive waterjet cutting, however, is done in material that is 3 inches thick or less.Most waterjets can cut inside corners with a radius of . Also, parts can be nested close together—often with only 1/8” between them. Small parts cut with a waterjet.Waterjet cutters can cut through 9 inches of stainless steel. Anything thicker increases the cutting time significantly. Some applications reconfigure waterjet systems to cut through even 18-inch steel blocks. However, in many applications waterjet cutters are utilized to cut 4-inch steel.Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water mixed with an abrasive material to cut a wide range of materials. A high-pressure water pump pressurises the water. This water flows through high-pressure tubing into the cutting head.Disadvantages of Waterjet Cutting Greater material thickness results in less accuracy since the thicker the material, the further the stream is from the nozzle, resulting in an inconsistent impact and an uneven cutting accuracy from top to bottom.
Is waterjet expensive?
Pricing for small waterjet cutting systems can start around $60k and complete custom systems can reach into the millions. It all depends on your application. You should also factor delivery and disposal costs into your cost for abrasive. One of its most prominent attributes if the fact that the cost of running a waterjet machine is cheap. After all things are considered its only costs about $14. Then once you add on top the product material cost, Labor hours, profit percentage, etc.While there are several factors that can affect the hourly cost of running a waterjet, on average, it can cost anywhere between $20/hr – $40/hr to run a waterjet with a single abrasive cutting head at 60,000 psi (does not include labor or capital repayment).While there are several factors that can affect the hourly cost of running a waterjet, on average, it can cost anywhere between $20/hr – $40/hr to run a waterjet with a single abrasive cutting head at 60,000 psi (does not include labor or capital repayment).Waterjet technology works in the same manner for any type of glass. Therefore, with the same abrasive waterjet setup, you can cut ordinary glass, laminated glass, laminated ballistic glass, and other glass materials. Changing the tooling is not required even for different thicknesses of glass.The high-level answer is that abrasive waterjets can cut through 12 inches of most materials. Many users report cutting material even thicker than that. Most abrasive waterjet cutting, however, is done in material that is 3 inches thick or less.
Is waterjet cheaper than laser?
Machine Cost A waterjet machine is less costly than a laser cutter. According to many enthusiasts, the most expensive part of laser cutting is purchasing the equipment. Aside from the up-front cost of purchasing the equipment, the operation cost of the laser cutting also depends on the power cost. Laser Power: As the rated power of the laser beam increases, the cost of the components to handle the higher energy levels increases. Workpiece Thickness: Cutting thicker material requires higher-power lasers. High-power lasers require heavier-duty components and are more expensive than low-power machines.
What Cannot be cut by waterjet?
There are some things that a waterjet cannot cut, including things like diamonds and tempered glass. Most commonly, waterjets are used to cut things like tiles, ceramic, and non-tempered glass. It is the preferred method when the materials being cut are sensitive to the high temperatures generated by other methods; examples of such materials include plastic and aluminium. Waterjet cutting is used in various industries, including mining and aerospace, for cutting, shaping, and reaming.Waterjets can cut a range of things from stone to glass, wood, some metals and more. There are some things that a waterjet cannot cut, including things like diamonds and tempered glass. Most commonly, waterjets are used to cut things like tiles, ceramic, and non-tempered glass.A: Operating at about 60,000 PSI of pressure, the water jet cutting machine can focus a small stream of extremely high-pressure water that is able to cut through diamonds. This method safely cuts through karats without thermal damage other methods might cause.Waterjet cutting, if not properly handled, can be life-threatening at times. For instance, if the water stream passes through the body, it can cause internal bleeding or puncture wounds. Since waterjet operators do not wear full body gear, these injuries can only be avoided by handling the equipment properly.Abrasive waterjets are ideally suited for tough and lucrative applications for any metal cutting. More than just common materials of mild steel and aluminum, abrasive waterjets easily cut titanium, Inconel®, brass, and tool steel.