Cutting stone & tiles
In this area, the most commonly cut materials are concrete, granite, marble, sandstone and tiles. Waterjet cutting is the ideal method for the production of inlays and company logos or the cutting of floor and wall covering elements. It opens up a whole new field for creative designs and solutions. As the cutting gap width is minimal, no material is wasted. The technology is also very suitable for the cutting of combined materials, for example inlays in stone and metal or combinations of tiles and glass.
As stone and tiles have a low ductility, we recommend producing the first hole with a reduced cutting pressure of 800 bar. This minises the risk of chipping and cracking. For sandstone, the amount of abrasive can be reduced, as the loosened stone particles serve as a natural abrasive.
Main advantages of cutting stone with waterjet:
- No or only minimal need for reworking of the cutting edge
- No waste of material
- No dust production (in contrast to cutting disc)
- No need for resharpening the tool
Stone cutting stone - frequently asked questions
-
How fast can the material be cut?
The cutting speed is determined by the following factors: pump pressure, efficiency of high pressure generation and cutting head configuration, material thickness and properties, desired cutting edge quality, orifice diameter, abrasive quantity and abrasive quality. See also cutting speed table below.
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What is the maximum material thickness that can be cut with waterjets?
From a thickness of approx. 25 cm, we recommend considering whether cutting with a cutting disc would be a more cost-effective alternative.
Cutting speed for marble
|
Abrasive flow |
|
350 g/min |
|
Abrasive |
|
80 Mesh |
|
Cutting edge quality |
|
fine - medium |
|
Orifice diameter |
|
0,25 mm |
0,35 mm |
|
Focussing tube diameter |
|
0,76 mm |
1,10 mm |
|
Cutting pressure |
4.200 bar |
|
|
|
Material |
Thickness |
Cutting speed |
|
Marble |
10 mm |
300 mm/min |
350 mm/min |
|
20 mm |
200 mm/min |
250 mm/min |
|
30 mm |
45 mm/min |
60 mm/min |
KMT products for stone cutting and tile cutting with waterjet
High pressure pumps
KMT Waterjet Systems offers a range of high pressure pumps that cater for all applications. They cover everything from maximum cutting waterjet pressures of up to 6200 bar to maximum volumetric flows of more than 15 l/min and simultaneous operation of a large number of cutting heads.
- STREAMLINE 60/125 PRO – waterjet cutting with 6200 bar
- STREAMLINE SL-V 15-100
- STREAMLINE SL-V 30/50 Classic
- STREAMLINE SL-V 150/200
Cutting heads for abrasive and pure water cutting:
- ACTIVE AUTOLINE PRO – abrasive cutting head for 6200 bar
- ACTIVE IDE PRO – compact abrasive waterjet cutting head for 6200 bar
- ACTIVE AUTOLINE II – modular abrasive waterjet cutting head for 4100 bar
- ACTIVE IDE II – compact abrasive waterjet cutting head for 4100 bar
Abrasive systems for stone cutting
- AMS III – abrasive management system consisting of an ABRALINE III abrasive supply system, a FEEDLINE IV metering system and ACTIVE AUTOLINE II or ACTIVE IDE II cutting heads
- ABRALINE III – abrasive supply system
- FEEDLINE IV – abrasive metering system
About KMT Waterjet Systems
KMT Waterjet Systems is a leading multinational manufacturer of waterjet cutting systems. The company develops complete solutions for a wide range of industries and applications. Since 1971 the company has been dedicated to long-term customer relationships. Continuous investment in innovation has made KMT Waterjet Systems the market leader in the waterjet cutting industry. High pressure pumps, cutting heads, abrasive systems, high pressure tubes, original spare parts and a global service network are among the key products and services of the company.