The key benefits of waterjet cutting
KMT Waterjet Systems is a market leader in the field of waterjet cutting. The company is in business for more than 40 years and has acquired a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this field. Over this period, the company has been heavily involved in further developments in the field of ultra high pressure technology. Waterjet cutting is a unique, advanced processing method that has proven particularly useful in automated production processes, at it enables companies to significantly reduce material costs.
What are the advantages of waterjet cutting over other cutting methods?
- Very fast implementation from drawing board to cut piece
- Short setup time - as tangential forces are minimum, workpieces need normally not be clamped
- High precision - no need for costly recutting
- High cutting speeds
- No need for resharpening tools
- Safe for the operator and the environment - waterjet cutting does not produce vapours or dust and the method does not require costly coolants
- Cold cutting method - does not affect the structural properties of the material
- Clean end product - no need for reworking
- Burr-free cutting edges - no need for reworking with most waterjet applications
- Small cutting gaps
- Ideal method for the production of prototypes and production processes that require high flexibility - successfully used in large serial production
- Optimised utilisation of material with CAD/CAM software
- Customised system solutions
Waterjet cutting technology
The main advantage of waterjet cutting over other methods lies in the fact that it is a cold cutting technology. Waterjet cutting is therefore used primarily in applications where the conventional cutting, chip-removing or thermal processes fail to produce the desired cutting quality. In contrast to thermal cutting technologies, waterjet cutting does not cause any thermal stress in the material. This effectively prevents material hardening and warping. In addition, no hazardous fumes, splashes or molten by-products are produced.
Laser cutting of plastics causes poisonous gases, which must be extracted, treated and disposed off at considerable cost. Waterjet cutting is therefore often the only feasible option for the cutting of plastic coated metals, as it does not in any way affect the surface finish or coating. Cutting certain materials with a thermal cutting method is normally not worth trying as soon as the workpieces exceed a certain thickness. Titanium, stainless steel, copper and aluminium pose for example huge problems, if they are to be cut by laser. Laser cutting is also an unsuitable method for the separation of certain fibre-reinforced or mineral materials.
The demands on industrial cutting
have risen dramatically over the last few years. Apart from high productivity and fast cutting speeds, processors wish to cut complex shapes with high precision and good cutting edge quality. Waterjet cutting does not apply any tangential forces on the material. Although the kinetic energy of the waterjet is very high, it does not cause changes in the structure of the material along the cut edge. The method allows for high precision cutting with smooth cut edges and no burrs. As the cut edge quality is generally excellent, there is normally no need to rework the parts. The surface of the material remains undamaged. The very fine waterjet produces an equally narrow cutting gap. This means that no material is wasted, as would be the case with all other conventional cutting methods. Thanks to this characteristic, the method can be further enhanced with narrow-mesh nesting software, which in turn offers even more cost savings to operators.
Waterjet cutting is particularly advantageous
when it comes to the production of complex cutting shapes. The cold cutting method allows for the cutting of virtually any shape in any material. Manufacturers who need to constantly change materials and cutting contours are delighted with the flexibility offered by waterjet cutting. Waterjet cutting can be combined with other cutting technologies and caters for the production of sharp corners, bevelled edges, extremely small radiuses, which are generally difficult to achieve with other methods. As cuts can be started from any point along the contour, waterjet cutting is a highly versatile technology for all types of materials.
Good for the environment
The entire waterjet cutting process is extremely safe and environmentally friendly, as no dust or hazardous vapours are produced. There is no need for cutting oils or emulsions. Considering the current high prices for commodities and the limited natural resources, making optimum use of the material and reducing wastage by part-to-part nesting make commercial sense as production becomes more competitive.
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.