Benefits of Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutting stands out as one of the most versatile and material-friendly cutting methods available today. Its greatest advantage is the “cold-cutting process“. There is absolutely no heat-affected zone (HAZ), which means no thermal distortion, no material hardening, no microcracks, and no change to the intrinsic mechanical or chemical properties of the workpiece. This makes it indispensable for cutting heat-sensitive materials like aerospace alloys, hardened tool steel, tempered glass, and plastics that would warp or degrade under laser or plasma cutting. Second, unmatched material versatility allows a single machine to cut metal, stone, glass, ceramics, composites, rubber, foam, and even food, all without changing tools or optics, simply by adjusting the cutting speed and abrasive flow. Third, exceptional precision achieves tolerances as tight as ±0.05 mm on thin materials, enabling intricate shapes, sharp corners, fine details, and tight nesting that maximize material utilization and reduce waste.
Waterjet Cutting Standrad Tolerances
Material Thickness |
Standard Tolerance |
Precision Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 – 6 mm (thin sheet) | ±0.05 mm (±0.002") | ±0.025 mm (±0.001") |
| 6 – 20 mm (medium plate) | ±0.10 mm (±0.004") | ±0.05 mm (±0.002") |
| 20 – 50 mm (thick plate) | ±0.20 mm (±0.008") | ±0.10 mm (±0.004") |
| 50 – 100 mm (heavy plate) | ±0.40 mm (±0.016") | ±0.20 mm (±0.008") |
| 100 – 200 mm (very thick) | ±0.80 mm (±0.031") | ±0.40 mm (±0.016") |
Waterjet Cutting Service Capabilities
Our comprehensive sheet metal fabrication capabilities cover the entire production lifecycle from initial design consultation and prototyping to full-scale manufacturing and finishing all under one roof.
Cutting Technologies
Pure waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water (up to 60,000 psi), forced through a small nozzle, to erode and cut soft materials like foam, rubber, textiles, and food. Unlike abrasive waterjet cutting, it contains no added abrasive particles, making it ideal for precise, contamination-free cuts on delicate or heat-sensitive materials.
Abrasive Waterjet Cutting
5-Axis Cutting
5-axis cutting moves the tool along five simultaneous axes (X, Y, Z plus two rotational), allowing it to approach a workpiece from virtually any angle. This enables precise cutting of complex, curved, or beveled shapes on 3D parts in a single setup, common in aerospace, automotive, and mold-making industries.
Multi-Head Cutting
Multi-head cutting uses multiple cutting heads operating simultaneously on the same machine, allowing several parts to be cut in parallel from one material sheet. This significantly boosts throughput and production efficiency, reduces per-part cycle time, and is widely used in high-volume manufacturing where identical or varied parts are needed quickly.
Waterjet Cutting Machine Specifications
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Type |
Specifications |
|---|---|
| Cutting bed size: | Up to 2,000 × 4,000 mm (6.5' × 13') for large-format sheets and plates |
| Maximum material load: | 1,465 kg/m² (300 lbs/sq ft) |
| Pump power: | 50–150 HP direct-drive and intensifier pumps |
| Pressure range: | 40,000 – 90,000 PSI (2,800 – 6,200 bar) |
| Software: | Advanced CAD/CAM with automatic nesting and DFM analysis |
| File formats accepted: | DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES, SolidWorks, PDF drawings |
Waterjet Cutting Materials
We work with a wide range of certified, traceable materials selected to match your performance, regulatory, and application requirements. Our engineers provide DFM guidance to optimize your plastic and metal parts design for manufacturing. Contact us or upload a CAD file for material options, instant quotes, and custom production solutions.
CNC milling services supports a wide range of additional metals, plastics, and composites.
Visit our materials page for a full list.
Lead Time for Waterjet Cutting Service
MXY Machining offer flexible lead times tailored to your project schedule and urgency. All timelines start from full confirmation of design specifications, material approval, and order details. Every schedule already includes time for engineering review, precision machining, strict quality inspection, required surface treatments, and secure packaging. We also provide regular progress updates throughout production, and can arrange custom priority schedules for time‑sensitive projects.
Production Type |
Standard Lead Time |
Rush / Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| Prototypes | 2 – 3 business days | 24 – 48 hours |
| Low Volume | 3 – 5 business days | 1 – 2 business days |
| Medium Volume | 5 – 10 business days | 3 – 5 business days |
| High Volume | 1 – 3 weeks | 5 – 10 business days |
| Thick material (>50 mm) | Add 2–3 business days | Add 1–2 business days |
| Parts with Surface Finishing | Add 3 – 7 business days | Add 2 – 4 business days |