Waterjet Cutting: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
Non-traditionalFamily
+/-0.2mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
29Parts in finder
Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water and abrasive to cut almost any material with no heat-affected zone.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Thick plate, stone, glass, composites and heat-sensitive material in flat form.
Watch for
Slower than laser on thin metal; edge taper on thick cuts.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Nest
Nest on the stock.
Tooling CAM Tolerance - Lead -
Cut
Abrasive-waterjet cut (no heat-affected zone).
Tooling Waterjet Tolerance - Lead -
Clean & dry
Rinse abrasive and dry.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Secondary
Machine where taper matters.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check dimensions and taper.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Thick steel/stainless
No heat-affected zone
Aluminium/titanium
No HAZ, clean
Stone/glass/composite
Non-metals too
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Waterjet Cutting. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Using waterjet for thin steel.Laser is faster/cheaper there.
Tight tolerance on thick cut.Allow edge taper or secondary machine.
Cost
What it costs
Cold cutting of thick, reflective, or heat-sensitive material (no HAZ); slower than laser but cuts almost anything.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$7.3 to 12per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water and abrasive to cut almost any material with no heat-affected zone. The typical route is: Nest; Cut; Clean & dry; Secondary; Inspect. Thick plate, stone, glass, composites and heat-sensitive material in flat form.
What does Waterjet Cutting cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $7.3 to 12 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Waterjet Cutting hold?
Typically about +/-0.2 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Waterjet Cutting?
Common choices are Thick steel/stainless (No heat-affected zone); Aluminium/titanium (No HAZ, clean); Stone/glass/composite (Non-metals too).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
