Cutting steel, concrete, glass and marble with water - sounds a bit far-fetched doesn’t it? Way back in the 1950s, a forestry engineer by the name of Norman Franz started fiddling around with a high-pressure water stream to cut lumber.
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An introduction to waterjet
1. An introduction to waterjet cutting
Cutting steel, concrete, glass and marble with water - sounds a bit far-fetched doesn’t it? Way
back in the 1950s, a forestry engineer by the name of Norman Franz started fiddling around with
a high-pressure water stream to cut lumber. His aim was to streamline the process and reduce
the strain on traditional cutting equipment such as saw blades, which easily became blunt and
needed replacing. From these humble beginnings an idea was born, and over the next couple of
decades, water cutting became an unparalleled method for cutting materials of all types, shapes
and sizes.
The end product?A waterjet cutter – a machine capable of slicing metal and other materials
such as granite and marble with unbelievable accuracy. It does this by using a jet of water at
high velocity and pressure, sometimes mixed with an abrasive substance, depending on the
material that is being cut. Waterjet cutters are usually used to cut materials such as rubber,
foam, plastics, leather, composites, stone, tiles, metals, food and paper. However, they can’t cut
tempered glass, diamonds and certain ceramics.
Why is water cutting better than traditional cutting methods?
Perhaps the most important benefit of waterjetsare their ability to cut material without the heat
caused by the friction associated with most other methods. This is especially important when
cutting metals, where excessive heat can harm and change the intrinsic properties of the metal,
rendering areas close to the cut useless.
Another main benefit of waterjets is their versatility. When used with specialised software and
3D machining heads, a waterjet cutter can produce complex 3D shapes in a wide variety of
materials. In fact, waterjets can make cuts as small as 0.01 mm – approximately the width of a
human hair!
This preferred cutting method is also the most efficient and environmentally friendly available.
This is because it produces no hazardous waste, greatly reducing the costs associated with
waste disposal. It also maximises material use, saving large amounts that would be lost if done
by traditional cutting methods. It also eliminates airborne dust particles, smoke, fumes and
contaminants.
How fast does the water shoot out and how much water is used?
One of the first questions anyone asks when they are told water can cut materials such as steel
is “how fast is the water going?” Most cutters can produce a speed of around 1500 kilometres
per hour, and more advanced machines are capable of producing streams of water that travel at
more than 3000 kilometres per hour! Despite this, the machines use a relatively small amount of
water because the jet is so concentrated. On top of this, the water that is used can be (and most
often is) recycled through a closed-looped system.
We hope this brief introduction to waterjet machines has answered any questions you may have
had about this unique and innovative cutting method. If you are seeking qualified professionals
2. for waterjet cutting in the Brisbane area, we recommend Metfit Industries (
http://www.metfitindustries.com.au ). They have extensive experience working with this
technology, and enjoy a great reputation in the area for custom-made solutions.
Choose the experienced Sheet Metal Fabrication Company that provides innovative and
excellent Sheet Metal Fabrication, Water Jet Cutting, Laser Cutting, Welding, and may more
engineering services as per your requirements.
3. Article or Blog Theme-
An introduction to waterjet cutting
Summary- Perhaps the most important benefit of waterjetsare their ability to cut material
without the heat caused by the friction associated with most other methods. Read this article
that gives a brief introduction to waterjet cutting.
Article Body-
Cutting steel, concrete, glass and marble with water - sounds a bit far-fetched doesn’t it? Way
back in the 1950s, a forestry engineer by the name of Norman Franz started fiddling around with
a high-pressure water stream to cut lumber. His aim was to streamline the process and reduce
the strain on traditional cutting equipment such as saw blades, which easily became blunt and
needed replacing. From these humble beginnings an idea was born, and over the next couple of
decades, water cutting became an unparalleled method for cutting materials of all types, shapes
and sizes.
The end product?A waterjet cutter – a machine capable of slicing metal and other materials
such as granite and marble with unbelievable accuracy. It does this by using a jet of water at
high velocity and pressure, sometimes mixed with an abrasive substance, depending on the
material that is being cut. Waterjet cutters are usually used to cut materials such as rubber,
foam, plastics, leather, composites, stone, tiles, metals, food and paper. However, they can’t cut
tempered glass, diamonds and certain ceramics.
Why is water cutting better than traditional cutting methods?
Perhaps the most important benefit of waterjetsare their ability to cut material without the heat
caused by the friction associated with most other methods. This is especially important when
cutting metals, where excessive heat can harm and change the intrinsic properties of the metal,
rendering areas close to the cut useless.
Another main benefit of waterjets is their versatility. When used with specialised software and
3D machining heads, a waterjet cutter can produce complex 3D shapes in a wide variety of
materials. In fact, waterjets can make cuts as small as 0.01 mm – approximately the width of a
human hair!
This preferred cutting method is also the most efficient and environmentally friendly available.
This is because it produces no hazardous waste, greatly reducing the costs associated with
waste disposal. It also maximises material use, saving large amounts that would be lost if done
by traditional cutting methods. It also eliminates airborne dust particles, smoke, fumes and
contaminants.
How fast does the water shoot out and how much water is used?
One of the first questions anyone asks when they are told water can cut materials such as steel
is “how fast is the water going?” Most cutters can produce a speed of around 1500 kilometres
per hour, and more advanced machines are capable of producing streams of water that travel at
more than 3000 kilometres per hour! Despite this, the machines use a relatively small amount of
water because the jet is so concentrated. On top of this, the water that is used can be (and most
often is) recycled through a closed-looped system.
4. We hope this brief introduction to waterjet machines has answered any questions you may have
had about this unique and innovative cutting method. If you are seeking qualified professionals
for <a href="http://www.metfitindustries.com.au/">waterjet cutting</a> in the Brisbane area, we
recommend Metfit Industries. They have extensive experience working with this technology, and
enjoy a great reputation in the area for custom-made solutions.
Choose the experienced Sheet Metal Fabrication Company that provides innovative and
excellent <a href="http://www.metfitindustries.com.au/"> Sheet Metal Fabrication</a>, Water
Jet Cutting, Laser Cutting, Welding, and may more engineering services as per your
requirements.