FOCUS ON WATERJET
PRECISION UNDER PRESSURE
A selection of the latest new waterjet cutting systems, technologies and innovations for sheet metal manufacturers come under the spotlight.
“ Versatile waterjet cutting technology is particularly attractive for production environments with short runs and rapid changeovers.”
Image: Shutterstock. com.
Waterjet cutting is a mechanical cutting method which uses an ultra-high-pressure pump to force water through a small nozzle, creating a high-velocity stream. When mixed with garnet abrasive material, this stream becomes powerful enough to cut through most materials including metals; carbon fibre; ceramics; stone; glass; plastics and more. Unlike thermal processes, a waterjet cutting system generates no heat. This cold process preserves material integrity, making it a key method for applications requiring
A demonstration of perpendicular waterjet cutting by WJS. clean edges and no heat distortion. There are no distortions in the materials( the material’ s properties remain unchanged) and only very minimal edges are left for additional finishing. This means that, in most applications, postprocessing is not necessary which not only saves time but also reduces cost. More demanding contours can be made in a very small area.
The waterjet cutting process consists of filtering the water, then transferring it to the appropriate cutting heads using a highpressure pump with a pressure of several
Image: Waterjet Corporation.
thousand bars. The cutting heads then move over the material according to a predefined cutting program. As the cutting head moves, the concentrated waterjet cuts through the material. Depending upon the hardness of the material and the desired cutting quality, additional abrasive is automatically dosed into the waterjet.
The technology is very versatile. The same machine system can cut metals, composites and plastics, for example, without extensive tool changes. This makes it particularly attractive for production environments with short runs and rapid changeovers. Fiveaxis cutting systems have unlocked threedimensional freedom. Instead of cutting only in 2D planes, operators can now bevel, contour, taper and shape intricate geometries with precision. This means faster setups, fewer secondary operations and cleaner results.
According to analyst Research and Markets, the waterjet cutting machine market size has grown rapidly in recent years and is expected to grow to US $ 2.73 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate( CAGR) of 11.3 %. Major trends in the forecast period include the rising adoption of robotic waterjet cutting systems; growing demand for precision cutting of thick materials; increasing use of abrasive waterjet technology; expansion of waterjet cutting in aerospace applications and a higher focus on cold cutting to avoid heat-affected zones. The aerospace industry is expected to be a key market driver.
46 | ismr. net | ISMR May 2026