How does waterjet cutting technology work?

Waterjets take advantage of water’s inherent power of erosion, something that takes place quite commonly in nature. The waters of the Colorado River, for example, continually move sand along with their strong current. This water movement, along with the abrasive quality of the sand it transports, gradually cuts away at the rockbed to carve the shapes of the Grand Canyon over thousands of years.

Of course, waterjet cutting technology is used in a more controlled, accelerated environment. Waterjet equipment first pressurizes water to a typical range of 55-60,000 psi, and then forces that water through a very small opening, amping up water speeds to thousands of miles per hour. With the aid of an added abrasive agent such as garnet, this waterjet water stream becomes capable of cutting through a vast array of materials without creating any Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) whatsoever. The versatility and precision of waterjet cutting technology makes it the ideal cutting technologies choice for most materials.