FOCUS ON WATERJET
Benefits of abrasive waterjet cutting
■ Cold cutting: No thermal distortion, hardened edges or heat-affected zone.
■ Precision: Suitable for intricate cuts and tight nesting.
The Optima waterjet head.
properties and integrity of components,” explained Waterjet-Tec fellow director, Terry Stewart. As a new business buying its first machine, the turnover, order fulfilment and subsequently the reputation of the business would be built upon the first machine. With exceptional flexibility and speed limitations falling on either side of the‘ pros and cons ' argument for waterjet cutting, Waterjet-Tec looked for a twin cutting-head machine with a strong reputation for reliability and service as well as a solution that would deliver speed and flexibility. As Peter Robinson outlined:“ We have decades of waterjet-, laser- and plasmacutting experience, and what has been a major let down [ in the past ] is spares, consumables and service support.
Left: Part cut by
Waterjet Tech on the Optima 420 machine.
The Optima 420 twin-head waterjet in action.
" However, Kerf has been a stand-out supplier. Its Rochdale( UK) headquarters stocks an abundance of spare parts and consumables, so the same or next-day service is always assured. In contrast, other vendors have to ship parts from Europe. This often takes at least three days to arrive, and then we must wait for an engineer to install parts— the situation isn’ t much better with consumables," he added.
Making the selection
Doing its due diligence from a position born of experience, the fledgling business opted for the Optima O-Series 420 with a 4 x 2m bed with two cutting heads.
Peter Robinson continued:“ Despite looking at some rival machines, we knew that the Kerf machine would be at least 30 % faster and would give us a competitive edge as soon as we opened our doors for business. Our team also had first-hand service experience from numerous waterjet suppliers, and they immediately recommended Kerf.”
The Optima 420 was supplied in April 2025 with two cutting heads. They are each driven by the BFT ECOTRON ® high-pressure pump that generates pressure of up to 4000bar for cutting material types( in thicknesses of up to 200mm). Supplied with the BFT hydraulic intensifier pump with a built-in booster and fan cooler as standard, the Optima 420 is designed to deliver powerful, precise and repeatable cutting for production environments.
Counting the benefits
Commenting on the productivity of two high-pressure cutting heads, Terry Stewart confirmed:“ There are some high-profile Ministry of Defence and offshore projects
■ Versatile material processing: Waterjet can cut virtually any material( including metals, rubber, plastic, wood, composite and glass).
■ Eco-conscious process: Waterjet cutting uses water and natural garnet abrasive for clean operation.
■ Minimal waste: A narrow kerf width and accurate control, reducing scrap material.
■ No tool changes: The same cutting head works across different materials and thicknesses.
■ Easy to modify: Machines can be quickly reprogrammed for new components or custom profiles.
■ Quiet operation: Lower noise compared to some other cutting machines.
ISMR November 2025 | ismr. net | 65