What can waterjets cut that plasma & laser cannot cut?
JLD said
Aug 4, 2009
What can waterjets cut that plasma & laser cannot cut? Or can they all cut the same material? Is there any material a waterjet can't cut?
thx in advance.
Jake said
Aug 7, 2009
You can't cut tempered glass or across glass with fracture lines.
JLD said
Aug 7, 2009
So, a waterjet cannot cut tempered glass. What about lasers and plasmas; what materials are they unable to cut that waterjet can? I know they can't cut food, but a waterjet can. I'm wondering what metals, glass, or composites lasers and plasma can't cut.
jackhanna4m said
Oct 1, 2009
waterjet can cut anything in this world.. i think.. many peoples using it... for cutting anything!!
EWLWaterJet said
Nov 24, 2010
Laser can only cut metal up to 15mm (Newer high end machines upto 25mm) water jet can go up to above 150mm.
I would like to point out that waterjet will NOT anneal the edges of your metal parts either. Try pulling a freshly cut part off the work platform of a laser or plasma cutter with your bare hands... and 20 second after the cut.
Realrockdesign said
Oct 21, 2011
PLASMA: conductive materials, best suited to material 2" and under LASER: almost any material, best suited to .5" and under
downside of both, heat affected zone
WATERJET: everything but tempered glass, no HAZ for most materials ( max 100Deg C temp change), up to 12" in some cases 15"
Realrockdesign said
Oct 21, 2011
Ps waterjets were originally pioneered to cut lumber in the 50's, laser probably could, but it's not economical compared to saw or water jet. Plasma can't cut wood, unless it was maybe soaked with a highly conductive liquid, even then you'd do more burning than cutting, same way oxy-fuel torch would do to wood or copper.
fx4matt said
Jul 20, 2012
cutting lexan on a laser works but it produces terrible fumes
thx in advance.
Laser can only cut metal up to 15mm (Newer high end machines upto 25mm) water jet can go up to above 150mm.
Laser & plasma usually make a mess of Aluminium, water jet cuts aluminium perfectly.
Laser can struggle on reflective materials such as brass, water jet has no such probles.
Plasma can only cut conductive materials... Abrasive Water jet cutting can cut anything.
List is endless.
LASER: almost any material, best suited to .5" and under
downside of both, heat affected zone
WATERJET: everything but tempered glass, no HAZ for most materials ( max 100Deg C temp change), up to 12" in some cases 15"
Plasma can't cut wood, unless it was maybe soaked with a highly conductive liquid, even then you'd do more burning than cutting, same way oxy-fuel torch would do to wood or copper.