A water jet cutter is a tool capable of slicing into metal or other materials using a jet of water at high velocity and pressure, or a mixture of water and an abrasive substance. The process is essentially the same as water erosion found in nature but accelerated and concentrated by orders of magnitude. It is often used during fabrication or manufacture of parts for machinery and other devices. It has found applications in a diverse number of industries from mining to aerospace where it is used for operations such as cutting, shaping, carving, and reaming.

Operation

The cutter is commonly connected to a high-pressure water pump (a local water main does not supply sufficient pressure) where the water is then ejected out of the nozzle, cutting through the material by bombarding it with the stream of high-speed water. Additives in the form of suspended grit or other abrasives, such as garnet and aluminum oxide, can assist in this process. Because the nature of the cutting stream can be easily modified, water jets can be used to cut materials as diverse as fish sticks and titanium. There are few materials that can't be effectively cut with a water jet cutter; one of these is tempered glass which shatters when cut, regardless of the cutting technology used. Certain ceramics are also resistant to water jet cutting. Water jet cuts are not typically limited by the thickness of the material, and are capable of cutting materials over twelve inches thick

Benefits

An important benefit of the water jet cutter is the ability to cut material without interfering with the material's inherent structure as there is no "heat affected zone" or HAZ. Minimizing the effects of heat allows metals to be cut without harming or changing intrinsic properties.