When you need to cut metal quickly, smoothly, and accurately, jump into the water.

Waterjet cutting is a cold cutting process that utilizes a high-pressure stream of water – or water combined with an abrasive – to erode and eliminate material.

There are two types of waterjet cutting machines: Abrasive and Non-Abrasive. Non-Abrasive waterjet cutting machines use only water to remove material, while abrasive waterjet cutters use water and either sand, garnet, or other types of abrasive material to complete the work. Abrasive waterjet cutting machines are commonly used to cut harder materials such as metal, composites, stone, or glass.

Waterjet cutting machines are utilized by industries that require high-quality, highly precise cut metal to produce customized metal parts and components. These industries include aerospace, agriculture, health care, construction, marine, defense, energy, and transportation. 

A Powerful Cutting Solution 

The operation of a waterjet cutting machine is simple yet powerful: An ultra-high-pressure pump generates a stream of water with pressure rated up to 94,000 psi (6,480 bar). To put it into perspective, a fire hose contains a pressure of 390 to 1,200 psi (20 to 84 bar). This pressure is converted into velocity via a tiny jewel orifice, creating a stream as small as a human strain of hair.  

By adding an abrasive-like garnet into the waterjet stream, the cutting power increases 1,000 times. The water-garnet mixture exits the cutting head – which remains perpendicular to the material at all times – at nearly four times the speed of sound, capable of cutting steel more than a foot thick. 

Waterjet cutting machines operate on a control system that includes computerized programming software, operator interface, drive motors, and a position and velocity feedback system. 

Awash in Advantages  

Waterjet cutting is one of the fastest-growing machining processes in the world because of its versatility and ease of operation. There is a long list of advantages to adding waterjet cutting machines and waterjet cutting capabilities to your shop: 

Versatile. Waterjet cutters can cut a wide range of materials including metal-alloy sheet and plate steel, mild steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, titanium, and Inconel. Waterjet cutters can cut through metal from 1/16 inch thick to more than 10 inches thick. 

Precise. Waterjet cutters provide outstanding, reliable, and accurate cuts. Computerized motion controls allow waterjet cutters to regularly cut with a precision of ±0.005 inch, and in some cases to within 0.001 inch.  

Environmentally sound. Waterjet cutters do not produce fumes, smoke, or dust, and don’t need gases to operate. Plus, the water and garnet used in abrasive waterjet cutting machines can be recycled. 

Easy to use. Programming a waterjet cutting machine is relatively simple to learn and operators can quickly master advanced programming and processing techniques. 

Increases productivity. Waterjet cutters can cut most materials quickly and in a single pass depending on thickness. There’s no need for extensive part clamping. Parts can be tightly nested or common-line cuts so you can use almost all of the raw material. This means less scrap on your floor and more money in your pocket.  

Cost-effective. Waterjet cutters don’t create a heat-affected zone (HAZ), decarburization, or microfractures so there is no need for secondary processing. Waterjet cutting also is more affordable and can cut thicker material than laser cutters. 

Flow: Your Waterjet Cutting Partner 

Not all waterjet cutting machines are created equal. You need to make sure you’re getting high-quality equipment to get high-quality performance. 

Whether you need a pure waterjet cutting machine or an abrasive waterjet cutting machine, Northeast Machinery Sales supplies high-quality, high-performing Flow waterjet cutters to cut whatever metal you use. Flow waterjet cutting machines provide the innovative features you expect from an industry-leading manufacturer of metal fabricating equipment:  

• Innovative pump designs that deliver the power you need
• Unique cutting heads that provide the accuracy and precision you want
• State-of-the-art software to easily control and configure operations and optimize complex cut patterns 
• Simple to set up and use
• Fast, responsive after-sales support
• Factory-certified spare parts and service 

Whether you are cutting the same thing every day or changing materials to meet customer demands, a Flow waterjet cutting machine will get your work done. 

Northeast Machinery Sales has served fabricators, manufacturers, and related businesses with the latest in fabrication and machine tool technology for more than a quarter of a century. From Maryland to Maine, we’re a one-call resource for the latest fabrication technology. 

For more information, contact us today to learn more about the new waterjet cutters for sale or any questions you may have on our waterjet cutting machines.