A waterjet, also known as a waterjet cutter, is a machine that uses a high-pressure jet of water to cut or shape various materials. It is a versatile cutting tool used in industries such as manufacturing, engineering, and fabrication.
Waterjet cutting works by pressurizing water and directing it through a small orifice at very high speeds. The pressure is typically generated by a high-pressure pump, which can produce pressures up to 90,000 pounds per square inch (psi) or sometimes even higher.
Waterjet cutting can produce intricate shapes and is used for both straight cuts and complex curves. This is a preferred method for cutting materials that may be too delicate for other processes or where minimal material wastage is desired.
Waterjet cutting software revolutionizes the manufacturing process by granting manufacturers full control over waterjet machines. With CAM software, manufacturers can gain access to powerful tools for directing and regulating waterjet nozzles across multiple axes, ranging from 2D to 5-axis capabilities.
This technology allows the creation of intricate features on a wide range of materials. This includes metals, wood, composites, sheet products, stone, foam, and plastic. The result is the production of high-quality components in large quantities, with exceptional precision and efficiency.
Whether you're importing existing 2D designs or starting from scratch, the intuitive interface in Fusion 360 allows you to sketch and define complex geometries with ease, along with providing complete control over dimensions, tolerances, and other design parameters, ensuring your designs are accurate and precise.
Maximize efficiency and minimize waste, while saving time and money by fine-tuning feed rates, and cutting speeds to achieve optimal results for different materials and thicknesses.
Eliminate guesswork and reduce errors with simulation tools in Fusion 360. Visualize and verify the entire waterjet cutting process before execution.
Catch potential issues in the virtual environment to avoid costly mistakes and achieve the highest level of precision in your cuts.
Fusion 360 simplifies the process of generating G-code, by automatically generating machine-readable G-code based on your design and toolpath parameters. This seamless integration ensures compatibility with a wide range of waterjet cutting machines and enables smooth communication between the software and the hardware.
The Fusion 360 Nesting and Fabrication Extension optimizes material usage by arranging multiple parts on a single sheet of material, helping to minimize waste and maximize efficiency.
Waterjet cutting can achieve high levels of accuracy with profile tolerances of ±0.1mm. This accuracy means waterjet cutting can match the stringent standards for automotive, aerospace, consumer products, and more.
Waterjet machining creates high-quality, warp-resistant parts with minimum heat. CAM software controls nozzle pressure, traverse speeds, lead-in/out motions, and more.
Waterjet machining is efficient because tool nozzles may be swapped to alter kerf thicknesses. This lowers machine downtime and increases flexibility.
Waterjet software's nesting tools enable batch manufacturing. Automated layering streamlines CAM programming, reducing human error. It reduces waste, boosts output, and cuts labor expenses.
Waterjet machines come in many varieties. These are classified by material size. Some waterjet cutters have specialized abrasives and nozzles for certain materials.
As the name suggests, water-only cutting use high-pressure without abrasive. While these waterjet cutters can lack the power to cut through certain metals, they are a solid option for materials like foam, rubber, plastics, wood, softer composites, and several other materials.
Abrasive waterjets are best suited to cutting through harder materials. They use pressurized water mixed combined with abrasive media to provide the extra power required for harder metals. The use of different abrasives types and sizes helps produce specific surface finishes.
High-pressure waterjet cutting combines abrasive media with water pressures exceeding 50,000 psi. While not every material needs this pressure - this is an ideal choice when processing exotic materials including carbon fiber, ballistic materials, and Nickel-based alloys such as Inconel.
A wide range of organic materials including different types of wood, stone, and ceramics.
A diverse range of metals including different grades of steel, Inconel, Titanium, and Aluminum.
More advanced composites including ballistic materials, plastics, and carbon fiber.
Waterjet cutting is used to cut hard and soft materials precisely. Waterjet cutting doesn't heat the workpiece like other methods. This improves quality, consistency, and compliance. These industries and projects employ waterjet cutting software technology.
Waterjet cutting is used to make a wide range of component parts commonly found in vehicles. This includes interior trim, body panels (in both metals and fiber-glass), exhaust and braking systems, insulation, gaskets, bumpers, and more.
Waterjet cutting is used to make component parts including body parts, cabin panels, custom structural parts, and landing gear. It is also used for processing exotic alloys found in engine components such as turbines and guide vanes.
Waterjet cutting software is frequently used to make parts and components in the medical equipment industry. These include items such as surgical instruments, artificial limbs, braces, prototypes, and orthopedic appliances.
Waterjet cutting is used to make sheet metal parts for different industries. Parts are cut to size and specification before being assembled for use in building enclosures, furniture, architectural works, or food and beverage components.
Learn more about waterjet cutting software with the following resources from Autodesk.
Explore how Autodesk Fusion 360 offers various solutions for 2D cutting, including for waterjet, laser cutter, or plasma table projects.
Get a detailed description of parameters in the waterjet tool reference for Fusion 360.
Learn the steps needed to export a 3D model to .dxf format in Fusion 360, to then use the sketch for CNC routing, plasma cutting, laser cutting, or waterjet cutting.
