Why should I choose waterjet cutting?
You’ve got a model of knife that works for you and sells well, now you want to upscale it and start to take some of the more mundane process out. Waterjet cutting is a great way to take out blank cutting and increase your production. For multiple cuts of blades from large sheets, waterjet cutting can be very cost effective!
What are the benefits of waterjet cutting compared to laser or plasma?
The biggest benefit is that you have no HAZ (Heat Affected Zone). Other methods of cutting such as plasma and laser heat and harden your edges that would either need to be removed or the steel thermo-cycled. Waterjet uses a combination of water and abrasives at high pressure and does not introduce any heat meaning no further work! It also can cut to very tight tolerances, including holes that just require reaming out.
What steels can I use?
Our partner cutters have cut all our stainless and carbon steels as well as titanium, zirconium and even G10! We keep a wide range of larger sheets stocks so you can get the maximum from a large sheet, including 1084, 1095, 80CrV2, 26C3, AEB-L and SF100 to name a few.
What do I need to get started?
The most important part is a CAD drawing in 2D. This gives the cutters tolerances and shape information allowing them to accurately cut your profile. There are several knife specific CAD programs available for small fees. Just remember that not only can it reproduce the outside profile but also any holes or skeletonising and even complicated liner parts!
Just drop us a line to talk about your project as we work with several cutters and can recommend a few that would be tailored to your needs! In the meantime, why not take a look at our steels and start planning your next project!
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