Waterjet
Uhde High Pressure Technologies
Uhde High Pressure Technologies
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Waterjet cutting from Uhde High Pressure Technologies – Precision in perfection
Applications & use cases
Waterjet cutting is the ideal solution for companies that require maximum flexibility, precision, and material versatility. With the right system selection, this process offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and future-proof cutting technology. Find out more about the application areas more in detail here.
Pure water jet cutting is the state-of-the-art manufacturing process to cut a wide range of foods. Meats, fish, poultry, frozen foods, cakes and even candy bars or pizza are cut with the power of pure water.
Using water jet technology to cut food:
Ensures a sanitary environment. Because no blades or metal cutting is necessary, there isn’t any cross contamination from tool to food or food to food.
Uses neither chemicals nor heat
Enables higher productivity. Because no blades are used, there is no need for changing or sharpening any blades.
Ensures extremely high cut quality allowing for a clean edge without smearing or tearing
Abrasive water jet cutting is perfectly suited for the aerospace industry since it is able to cut aluminum, steel, titanium, brass and various composites all alike. This allows for precise cutting of airplane fuselages, rotary blades and wing and tail sections for example.
Advantages using abrasive water jet cutting for aerospace are:
No burrs and rough edges occur
No Heat-Affected Zones
Less material waste
Increased productivity because of faster cutting
Water jet cutting whether pure or abrasive is a perfect solution for automotive. Because of its versatility, it is able to cut materials such as aluminum, steel and composites as well as door panels or carpet for the car interior.
Advantages using water jet technology to cut in automotive are:
No burrs and rough edges occur
No Heat-Affected Zones and noxious fumes
Less material waste
No mechanical stresses on the surface of the cuts
Increased productivity because of faster cutting
When it comes to the manufacturing of life-saving medical implants and instruments as well as surgical instruments there is nothing more important than precision and to meet the highest quality standards. Abrasive water jet cutting is able to guarantee both since it cuts with the highest accuracy and precisely shapes materials without undesirable side effects.
Advantages are:
No Heat-Affected Zones and therefore no surface hardening and changes their intrinsic properties
No toxic and hazardous waste materials
Minimal kerf allows for high precision cuts
Cut angles that common machines can’t cut
Less material waste
Abrasive water jet cutting is able to handle different kinds of glasses such as standard glass, laminated glass, bulletproof glass and Plexiglas®. This opens up a multitude of applications that can be cut with the power of the water jet and the addition of an abrasive. This includes:
Lenses
Mirrors
Optical laser parts
Glass items for the electronic & medical industry
Window panels
Glass ornaments & church mosaics
Inlays for tabletops
Light fixtures
With abrasive water jet cutting you are able to cut all sorts of stones and tiles such as granite, limestone, slate and marble among other materials for floors as well as ceramic tiles or sinkholes for kitchens or bathrooms.
Advantages using abrasive water jet cutting for stones and tiles are:
No rough edges occur
Compared with cutting with blades and saws no toxic dust or waste occurs
Less material waste
The minimal kerf allows for artistic and detailed patterns
Increased productivity because of faster cutting and no need for changing or sharpening any blades
No risk of deformation and discolouring
Our answers to Frequently Asked Questions
An ultra-high-pressure pump generates a water jet with a pressure of up to 6,000 bar. This water jet is directed through a diamond or sapphire nozzle and mixed with garnet sand. The resulting abrasive water jet can cut through virtually any material. A CNC machine guides the jet through the workpiece.
A waterjet cutting machine can cut virtually any material. In industrial applications, it is used to cut all types of steel and alloys, all non-ferrous metals, granite, ceramics, glass, and plastics. A pure waterjet can also be used to cut fabrics, leather, rubber, and all types of gaskets.
In principle, it is possible to cut materials up to 500 mm thick. However, the thicker the material, the longer the cutting time. Practical cutting thicknesses are approximately 80 mm for steel and 120 mm for aluminum, 100 mm for granite, and 30 mm for ceramics.
A pure waterjet is used to cut soft materials such as rubber, leather, and carpets. An abrasive waterjet can cut almost any material. In practice, it is primarily used to cut steel, stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, tiles, kitchen countertops, glass, and plastics.
Wood is very well suited for waterjet cutting. Waterjet cutting is a widely used technology, especially in furniture manufacturing, where fine contours need to be cut. Moisture is hardly an issue, as the water penetrates only a few millimeters into the material at the cut edge and dries very quickly.
Soft materials such as leather, rubber, carpet, or sealing paper are cut using a pure water jet. For hard and brittle materials, metals, glass, and plastics, an abrasive cutting agent is mixed into the water. Garnet sand is predominantly used here, but other abrasive materials are also possible in individual cases.
Unlike pure waterjet cutting, abrasive waterjet cutting uses an abrasive sand in addition to water. A pure waterjet cuts through soft material like a utility knife. The material is compressed and severed. An abrasive waterjet works like a grinding wheel. The material in the kerf is ground away.
For materials with smooth surfaces, residual moisture is not a problem. The component is blown dry with compressed air. Hygroscopic materials such as wood, open-cell foams, and textiles should be dried. In practice, forced-air dryers are used for this purpose. The key factor is not the temperature, but the air volume.
Yes, a waterjet cutting machine can be used for all common types of weld preparation, provided the machine is equipped with a 3D head.
Waterjet cutting is a cold-cutting process. This has the advantage that no structural changes occur at the cut line during cutting. A hardened steel plate can be cut without the cut edge losing its hardness. Any material can be cut with a waterjet, and the machine does not need to be retooled to cut steel, plastic, or glass alternately.
Plasma and oxy-fuel cutting are limited to only a few metals. Waterjet cutting works on almost any material. The surface is slightly rough, but because there is no heat input, there is no discoloration along the cut edge, and the contour accuracy is much better.
Unlike laser cutting, waterjet cutting is not limited to specific materials but can be used universally. For steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, waterjet cutting is more cost-effective than laser cutting once the material reaches a certain thickness. With an abrasive waterjet, thin sheets can be cut in bundles. This is not possible with a laser.
That is a question of cost-effectiveness. For thin steel or stainless steel sheets and very large quantities, the laser has the advantage. The thicker the material, the more cost-effective waterjet cutting becomes. Since the laser is limited to a few metals and waterjet cutting is suitable for virtually any material, the waterjet cutting machine is an alternative for anyone who cannot fully utilize a laser.
Depending on the machine’s specifications, the achievable precision ranges from the low tenths of a millimeter to a few hundredths of a millimeter. The surface is slightly rough to semi-matte, depending on the speed and grit size of the abrasive. Unlike thermal cutting processes, there is no discoloration along the cut edge.
There are numerous ways to tailor the cutting process to the customer’s specifications. Pressure, abrasive media, and many other parameters can be adjusted to meet the customer’s needs. The CNC control system, the ultra-high-pressure pump, the cutting table, and the cutting head technology are all configured according to the customer’s specifications.