
LEARN ABOUT WATERJETS
HOW DOES WATERJET CUTTING COMPARE TO OTHER CUTTING METHODS?
Waterjet cutting compares favorably with other cutting methods, offering good accuracy, fast set-up time and fast cutting, while also cutting a wide range of materials with no Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) or change in material properties.

WATERJET |
WIRE EDM |
LASER |
PLASMA |
MILLING |
PUNCH PRESS |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accuracy |
Average of ±0.003" (±0.08 mm) and up to 0.001” (±25 μ) 1 | ±0.0001" (±2.5 μ) | ±0.001" (±25 μ) 2 2 | ±0.030 to ±0.060" (±0.75 to ±1.55 mm) | ±0.0003" (±8 μ) | Fair |
Thickness |
Up to 24" (61cm), virtually any material | 12" (30 cm) | Generally less than 0.25"(6.35mm) | Cuts less than 1.25" | Able to work on 3D parts |
Works well with thin sheets |
Cutting |
5-10 times faster than EDM when thickness is under 1" | 5-10 times slower than waterjet | Very fast cutting in thin, non-reflective materials | Fast with thin sheets | Fair | Fast batch production when initial programming and setup are done |
Edge |
Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Fair |
Material |
No Distortion 3 | No | Possible | Possible | No | Some |
Heat |
None | Some | Yes | Yes | None | None |
Material |
Works in virtually all materials except really hard ceramics | Only works in conductive materials | Only non-reflective metals 4 | Generally works in metals | Not ideal for very large parts | Not good for brittle or hardened materials |
Process |
Cold supersonic abrasive used to cut material | Spark erosion used to remove material from electrically conductive materials | Thermal process | Thermal process | Mechanical cutting tool | Shearing process |
Setup |
Fast and easy set-up | Relatively easy set-up | Relatively easy set-up but may have to tune laser for different materials | Relatively easy set-up | Time consuming set-up and programming | Time consuming set-up and programming |
FOOTNOTES
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COMPLEMENT YOUR EXISTING MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Re-think Your Cutting Solution
Manufacturers from small job shops to large OEMs are finding that the OMAX abrasive waterjet cutting process is an ideal complement to their other manufacturing processes. In many cases the OMAX can quickly produce a complete final part, ready to go. However it can also produce a semi-finished or near-net-shape blank part suitable for secondary processing by conventional means. The abrasive waterjet process does not affect material properties, so the efficiency of conventional processes is not degraded. The close nesting capability of the OMAX maximizes material utilization. In addition, the OMAX is effective in many advanced and non-traditional materials where conventional processing may be a challenge.

RELATED QUESTIONS
- No thickness limitations.
- No problems with reflective materials such as brass and aluminum.
- No heat input, so there is no burning or heat-affected zone (HAZ).
- Waterjets can cut materials which are heat sensitive such as plastics, rubber or composites, and even such materials as glass, stone and very hard ceramics.
- When you change materials, the only thing you change is the cut speed. There are no gases, optics, or anything else to change.
- Multiple heads are easily added for increased production.
- Maintenance on the other equipment is more specialized and more difficult to perform.
- Stand off distance between nozzle and material is not nearly as critical.
Yes. The OMAX control software allows for up to 100 user-specified home locations, which provides multiple tooling locations on a single machine. The OMAX Precision Optical Locator (POL) accessory lets you zoom in on a part to locate a feature or edge and mark that as a reference point on the tool path. The software will automatically rotate the tool path to match the placement of the part on the table. The optional A-Jet articulated cutting head makes it possible to cut countersinks and bevels.
Regular maintenance will include pump oil changes, water filter changes, swivel seal replacements, and garnet removal.