Waterjet cutting is a manufacturing process from the main group of separating processes according to DIN 8580.
Together with laser beam fusion cutting, flame cutting, and plasma cutting, it belongs to the group of ablation processes.
A distinction is made between pure waterjet cutting and abrasive cutting, where a hard, powdery material is added to the water.
Pure waterjet cutting is particularly suitable for soft materials such as plastics, films, foams, or paper, for example, for gaskets.
Abrasive cutting is used for hard materials such as steel, ceramics, or glass. It is especially important for cutting composite materials.
The process is relatively environmentally friendly, provided the high energy consumption for the high water pressure is ignored.
Laser cutting refers to the cutting of solids using continuous or pulsed laser radiation.
The process is suitable for almost any type of material, such as metals, dielectrics, or organic materials.
To achieve outstanding results, manufacturers adjust the laser radiation parameters, such as wavelength, average power, pulse energy, and pulse duration, according to the application.
Thermal effects are mainly determined by pulse duration and irradiation intensity, as well as material thickness and feed speed.
Therefore, the quality of the cut largely depends on the experience of the operators.
The process is used where complex two- or even three-dimensional outlines and fast processing are required.
Compared to punching, laser cutting is economically viable even at very low production volumes.
We use focused high-power lasers, mostly CO2 lasers, and increasingly Nd lasers, as well as the efficient, well-focusable fiber lasers.
Plasma fusion cutting, or simply plasma cutting, is a manufacturing process from the group of thermal cutting used for cutting conductive sheets.
The equipment utilizes the thermal content of a plasma to locally melt the material and the high kinetic energy of the plasma gas flow to blow away the molten material.
In principle, plasma cutting starts with a low-energy arc initiated by high voltage between the material and the nozzle.
Once a pilot arc touches the workpiece, the current transfers to the workpiece, and an automatic increase in power occurs. This creates the main arc, which is the actual cutting arc.
Plasma cutting is predominantly used directly. Plasma marking and plasma gouging extend the application possibilities of this process.
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