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Waterjet Cutting

Waterjet cutting (or more accurately abrasivejet cutting) is one of the useful and unique metal fabrication services available at American Metalcraft Industries.

Abrasivejets have been used in industry since 1982. The precursor to abrasivejets, waterjets, have been in use since 1970. Abrasivejets are used by industries such as the automobile, aerospace, and glass industries, to create precision parts from hard-to-cut materials.

An abrasivejet pressurizes water up to 55,000 pounds per square inch (psi) [379,000 kiloPascals (kPa)] and then forces it through a small sapphire orifice at 2500 feet (762 meters) per second, or about two and half times the speed of sound.

Garnet abrasive is then pulled into this high-speed stream of water, and mixed with the water in a long ceramic mixing tube. A stream of abrasive-laden water moving at 1000 feet per second (305 meters/sec) exits the ceramic tube. This jet of water and abrasive is then directed at the material to be machined. The jet drags the abrasive through the material in a curved path and the resulting centrifugal forces press the particles against the work piece. The abrasivejet's cutting action is a grinding process, but rather than using a solid grinding wheel, the forces and motions of the cutting action are provided by water.

Long regarded as a tool for trained experts, abrasivejets have changed dramatically in the last few years. New technologies have made it possible for fabrication shops to offer this technology for their customers. Many don't, but American Metalcraft does!

American Metal Craft currently has an OMAX Water Jet

• Bed Size: 80" x 160"
• Material Types
  • Aluminum
  • Carbon Steel
  • Stainless Steel
  • Hastelloy
  • Brass
  • Copper
  • Plastics
  • Titanium
  • Granite
  • Stone
  • Floor Tiles
• Material Thickness
  • Our water jet can cut up to 6" thick stainless steel 

The top ten reasons to use abrasivejet cutting 

1. Wide range of materials can be cut
2. Quality finish - a smooth sandblasted finish with no rough edges
3. No heat in the machining process - no distortion of the part
4. Environmentally friendly - the abrasive is inert and there are no toxic fumes
5. No tool changing - the same nozzle for all materials
6. Minimal burr or wasted material
7. Quick to program - automated, computerized processes
8. Fast set-up and programming - all settings are established nearly automatically
9. Complement existing tools, used for either primary or secondary operations
10. Reduce setup times - no complex fixtures required

Contact American Metalcraft Industries to explore the flexibility, cost savings, and creative use of waterjet (abraisivejet) cutting for your next project. 

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