Differences Between Water Jet Cutting and Other Cutting Methods

Differences Between Water Jet Cutting and Other Cutting Methods

1. Water Jet Cutting vs. Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a manufacturing method that enhances productivity, but water jet cutting has advantages in several areas:

No thickness limitation for cutting

Can cut reflective materials (such as brass, aluminum, etc.)

No thermal energy input required, preventing burning or thermal effects

When changing materials, only the cutting speed needs adjustment, with no need to change gases, focus, etc.

Additional cutting heads can be easily added to increase capacity

Laser equipment maintenance is more complex and specialized

Water jet cutting equipment costs only 1/2 to 1/3 of laser equipment

2. Water Jet Cutting vs. Milling

For cutting the periphery of workpieces and drilling holes, abrasive water jet cutting is faster, easier to arrange, and more cost-effective. The main reason is that water jet cutting requires only one processing pass, without grinding all the metal into fragments. For high-precision workpieces, abrasive water jets can produce close-to-finished results without generating thermal effects. The waste generated by abrasive jets is often more valuable, as it is in solid form rather than debris, making it easier to reuse.

3. Water Jet Cutting vs. Arc and Flame Cutting

Plasma cutting is a thermal process that causes thermal effects. Abrasive water jet cutting generally provides better surface treatment, with no slag on the back of the workpiece, reducing the need for secondary processing. Water jet cutting has no thickness limitations, and the spacing of cutting patterns can be minimized to save material costs.

4. Water Jet Cutting vs. Laser Cutting Comparison

Laser cutting equipment requires a high investment and is mainly used for thin steel plates and some non-metal materials. It offers fast cutting speeds and high precision but can cause thermal effects at the cutting seam and is not ideal for cutting certain materials like aluminum and copper. Water jet cutting has low investment, low operating costs, a wide range of materials, high efficiency, and is easy to operate and maintain.

5. Water Jet Cutting vs. Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting has significant thermal effects, lower precision, and the cut surface is difficult to reprocess. Water jet cutting is a cold cutting method with no thermal deformation, good cut quality, and requires no secondary processing, although it can be easily reprocessed if necessary.

6. Water Jet Cutting vs. Wire Cutting

Wire cutting is very precise but slow, requires conductive materials, and generates thermal effects. Although wire cutting offers high precision for metal processing, it is slow and often requires additional methods for drilling holes. Water jet cutting can drill and cut any material quickly, with flexible processing dimensions.