Uses for Water Jet Cutting Machines

• Water jet cutting machines use a high-pressure stream of water to cut and shape materials ranging from steel to titanium. These machines differ from other machining centers in that they minimize the effects of heat on a material and cut with high accuracy. Water jet cutting machines are versatile and can be used on a variety of applications in all industries.

Cut Any Material

• While some machining centers are only designed to cut specific metals, water jet machines are able to cut virtually any material, from rubber and foam to stone and metal composites. This makes the machines a viable resource in the automotive, aerospace and medical fields. According to Jet Edge, the only materials that can't be cut with the water jet technology are glass, diamonds and ceramics.

Prototype Applications

• Water jet machines are able to cut parts based directly from computer-aided design (CAD). According to Omax, the machines are also ideal for quickly creating short-run applications, like prototypes. Prototypes are test products that are created prior to manufacturing that designers and engineers analyze to determine potential improvements. Because water jet can quickly create these one-off parts inexpensively, they can be utilized for prototyping purposes.

Food Preparation

• Although water jet machines are more commonly used for industrial purposes, they can serve as a method of food preparation, like cutting bread. According to Michigan Technological University, the water jet's kerf, or cutting width, can easily be adjusted to cut smaller, more delicate materials. The small cuts are able to maintain accuracy, while wasting little of the food.