There are advanced in CNC technology on a virtually daily basis. One technique that has become very popular in recent years is waterjet cutting. The reasons behind its popularity begin with the fact that it is an extremely good way of cutting a wide range of materials to a wide range of thicknesses. One material that can be cut very successfully by waterjet is aluminium. Waterjet cutting can also cut steel up to an impressive thickness of six inches.
CNC Technology : Waterjet Cutting Advantages
Asides the above already mentioned benefits of using waterjet cutting, it should be mentioned that a water jet cutter will not leave behind any marks such as a heat affected zone. This means that pieces that are cut using water jetting will be ready for resale without the need for any further finishing processes.
Hot cutting processes cannot be used for cutting materials that are of more than one layer. This is because the layers would weld together when they were in their molten state. Waterjet cutting is also the preferred method for cutting rubber. Heat processes are of course unsuitable for cutting rubber. A waterjet cutter can cut anything from paper to wood or high temperature alloys. In short, it is a perfect method for cutting all types of materials as it will not make any damage.
CNC Technology : When Not to Use Waterjet Cutting
Although the CNC technology provided by waterjet cutting is useful for many different applications, there are some materials that it will not cut or where it is practical to use different methods. When cutting several different designs from one single sheet of metal, laser cutting will be faster and cheaper than using a waterjet. Making small holes is another process where a waterjet is not the best option; here you should use a traditional CNC milling or drilling process.
Waterjet cutting is not advisable for materials that cannot tolerate water. If the material in question will change its shape or form when exposed to water, then you should use other CNC methods. This really is a question of common sense. Paper can be cut with a waterjet, but there are other methods that are more suitable and cheaper for the purpose.
With advances in CNC bringing new technology every day, waterjet cutting is just one preferred method of cutting a wide variety of materials. Laser cutting and plasma cutting are two more of the most popular and most modern technologies used with the CNC industry.
If you are unsure whether you should invest in a waterjet cutter for your own CNC shop, ask yourself the following questions. Do you need a waterjet cutter or is it just something that you would like to invest in for the future? Can you use a waterjet cutter for everything or will you need to invest in more machinery as some of the materials you work with cannot be cut with water? When you can answer these questions, you will be able to decipher whether you should invest in this new and modern CNC technology for your CNC shop.
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