Water Jet Cutting For Stainless Steel

As one of the UK’s leading water jet cutters, we get numerous enquires asking if water jet cutting can cut certain materials.

Towards the top of the list is stainless steel, sometimes people have even run a Google search first, seen that it suggests water jet cutting can part stainless steel, but not quite believed the information.

It might seem incongruous, you might imagine a water jet simply bouncing off stainless steel without making so much as a scratch, but that is not the case.

Water jet cutting is suitable for the cutting of stainless steel; in fact it is by far the best option.

Water Jet Cutting can cut through at least 25 centimetres of virtually any material, this including metals, stainless steel amongst them.

Actually, it’s not the water alone. The cutting force is made by the perfect blending of water and abrasive material – garnet, an inert, sharp abrasive that turns the water into a hugely powerful force.

Why Consider Water Jet Cutting for Stainless Steel?

While water jet cutting is suitable for cutting stainless steel, it is not the only technology with this capability. Why consider it, why opt for water jet cutting over laser cutting or any other option?

There are a number of compelling reasons.

Depth of Cut

water jet cutting can cut through 25 centimes of solid stainless steel, this is a depth ten times that of laser cutting.

While you might imagine that lasers are more powerful than water jets the opposite is true.

Laser cutting is certainly an option for thin material, but not for anything more challenging.

 

Cutting Without Damage

Water jet cutting is perhaps best described as accelerated erosion, The water jet creates a clean, seamless parting, one with no heat created.

Importantly, there are no micro abrasions, no burning the edge and no risk of structural imperfections. Other options can leave the edge damaged, creating aesthetic problems and potentially making the finished part weaker.

Water jet cutting is used heavily by industries such as aviation and automotive, industries where the integrity of parts is essential. Equally, we have worked with sculptors making works of art out of steel and other metals – Anya Gallaccio’s Ghost Tree at Whitworth Art Gallery a superb example. 

 

Cutting Complex Designs

Stainless Steel is often wanted in intricate shapes, or parts with a high degree of complexity.

Until recently, such parts required secondary cutting, they would be cut on one axis, then repositioned and cut anew.

Modern water jet cutting now has the ability to cut complex parts in one fluid motion, this through a technology called XD Cutting. XD Cutting is a cutting head that can move in multiple axis; controlled by advanced computer software it ensures a perfect cut of even the most complex of designs.

TMC Waterjet were one of the first UK water jet cutters to invest in XD Cutting technology.

 

Suitable for Jobs Big and Small

Water jet cutters work with a huge range of clients, the same pride taken working for a multinational as for a small, local business.

The machines can be used for one-off jobs or huge repeat orders, they aren’t fussy.

Yes, having some huge clients and orders on the books is helpful but we are just as happy to help anyone out with a small one-off job.

Water jet cutting is hugely competitive on price for jobs of all sizes.

If you have a job that requires the cutting of stainless steel (or any other material for that matter), please contact us for an obligation-free quote.

 

Work with the UK’s leading Water Jet Cutters

At TMC, we are a water jet cutter who serve the whole of the UK and increasingly Europe too, with clients across the content trusting us to work on their projects.

Despite our success, we remain a company that focusses on every client and work on projects of all sizes.

If you think water jet cutting might be of use for your project, please do get in touch for an obligation-free chat.

Call us on 01625 610 441 or use our Contact Form.