Contrary to popular belief the applications for waterjet cutting span across almost every industry. This process helps professionals all around the world complete their projects in a timely, cost effective and high-quality manner.
Aerospace & Aviation
Precision in manufacturing is imperative for the aerospace industry and there is zero margin for error. Even the smallest of errors or structural weakness could lead to devastation. Producing parts and providing services for this industry is extremely complex, as traceability requirements are extensive. As components for projects in these industries began getting more complex the need for a more precise cutting process was very apparent. That is when these industries turned to abrasive waterjet cutting to satisfy their needs. These industries use waterjet cutting to not only assist in the production of engines, but also the aircrafts themselves, military solutions, and new scientific developments. This process can also be used to cut composite materials for aircrafts. The lack of heat affected zones during this process means that there is no thermal distortion, making waterjet cutting the superior cutting method for the aerospace industry.
Medical
Abrasive waterjet cutting has become so advanced that it now allows us to serve the medical industry. The machines ability to hold tight tolerances and cut angles up to 60 degrees makes it the ideal choice for many medical manufacturers. This process allows medical manufacturers to increase their productivity by cutting down on the time it typically takes to cut the materials they need. In the medical industry it is crucial that parts do not have a heat effected zone or thermal distortion because that could result in altering the chemical properties of the material. Waterjet cutting is immune to these effects due to it being a cold-cutting process. Waterjet cutting can be used for prototyping and for larger runs of components. These machines are often used in producing surgical instruments and medical devices such as prosthetics and orthotics.
Automotive
The versatility of a waterjet machine makes it perfect for the automotive industry. The waterjet machine has the capabilities of cutting both interior components, using pure waterjet cutting and exterior components, using abrasive waterjet cutting. Due to this machines versatility, those in the industry can get multiple aspects of their project completed in one place. One supplier would have the capabilities to cut all the necessary parts with little to no finishing required. Professionals in the automotive industry often use this process because of its precision, smooth edges, and lack of mechanical stress.
Architecture & Design
Water jet cutting in Architecture is optimal because of the machines capabilities to cut thicker materials in irregular shapes while maintaining accuracy and cutting at fast speeds. Waterjet cutting satisfies the needs of professionals in these industries due to the process ability to effortlessly cut custom designs. In addition to interior and exterior architectural design, the waterjet is also used within the public art industries. Materials that are often cut by a waterjet and are used for architectural applications include acrylic, woods, metals & alloys, mosaic tiles, and stone.
Food Processing
To many people’s surprise, pure waterjet cutting is also used in the cutting of foods. Many industry professionals choose this method because it helps increase productivity & efficiency and reduce waste. In addition, this cutting method is highly advantageous for this industry because of its high sanitation status. Cutting food with a waterjet is highly favorable because of the lack of cross contamination and bacteria. Popular food items cut with a waterjet include, meat, fish, produce, frozen foods, and poultry. Usually a diamond orifice is used in these cases and gives off a stream the width of a human hair. This tool also helps the food industry save money by producing a higher output, decreasing labor, and lowering the cost of needed blades. This process is also extremely crucial to saving time and having a more efficient production process.
Defense
The manufacturing of military machinery depends heavily on abrasive water jet cutting. The water jet machine is used for various metals up to 11" in thickness, composites, rotary blades, jet engines, and other materials that are difficult to machine. The cold-process nature of the waterjet is crucial in this industry, as they must find fabrication techniques that will not alter the shape or molecular structure of material. The materials cut may find their way into explosives, armor plating and bulletproof glass.
Above are just a few of the many industries served by waterjet cutting. At Intelligent Cutting Solutions we are both ISO 9001 and AS9100 approved and strive for the highest quality in every industry. Our large table sizes give us the capabilities to take on large projects and our highly trained staff makes quick quotes and fast lead times possible.
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