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of their accuracy and efficiency.

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This video provides a basic introduction of each technique with its own advantages and limitations.

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So knowing the differences can guide you in choosing the right process.

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A waterjet cutter uses a high pressure stream of water mixed with an abrasive powder to cut

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materials.

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The fast moving particles wear away the part surface, making a clean and precise cut.

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Because it doesn't use heat, it's safe for materials that could be damaged by hot

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cutting.

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This method is often used in industries like aerospace and mining for accurate cutting and shaping.

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Laser cutting uses a focused beam of light to cut materials.

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CNC machines guide the beam to follow the design.

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It works well for thin sheet metal, giving precise cuts, but it can't cut thick metal

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as easily as waterjet cutting.

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At comparable capabilities, a waterjet cutter will have lower upfront machine cost compared

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to laser cutters.

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It is important to weigh whether the cost of investment over time can be justified by selecting

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a laser cutter over a waterjet cutter.

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Looking at the numbers, a laser cutter's operating cost is typically $13.20 per hour, while

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a waterjet cutter's operating cost is $15.30 per hour.

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For most jobs, these costs are fairly similar.

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However, laser cutters are good for keeping hard costs low because they require less consumables.

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Primarily, the laser source and lens needs to be switched out every few years, depending

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on cutting power and frequency, in addition to common operational consumables, like compressed

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air and filters, on the other hand, waterjet cutting requires more frequent replacements

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of valves, nozzles, and seals.

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It also has more operational consumables, mainly abrasives, but also water and compressed

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air.

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Lastly, because waterjet cutters are constantly cycling water and abrasives, it often demands

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more maintenance and downtime.

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One commonly overlooked factor in cutting is the cleanup.

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Other than some light dust, the laser cutting process produces virtually no mess and

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removing scrap cuts from the cutting bed is a quick and infrequent process.

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As waterjet cutters submerge parts in a water tank, cleanup and operation can be a

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bit more involved.

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Abracives and other build-up in the water tank also need to be cleaned out regularly, which

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puts the machine in downtime.

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Speed is another category that greatly separates laser cutters and waterjet cutters.

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Laser cutters generally cut more efficiently, with some laser cutters cutting up to 70 inches

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of material per minute.

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Meanwhile, waterjet cutters are often limited to 20 inches per minute.

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As for accuracy, both methods produce good tolerances.

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Laser cutters offer a small edge with precision, up to plus no, 0, 0, 5 inches compared to a

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plus zero, 0, 2 inches for waterjet cutters.

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While laser cutting technology has quickly improved, they are still somewhat limited in

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the materials they can handle.

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Several laser cutters typically work with metals, with smaller machines able to handle

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plastics, wood and fabrics as well.

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Waterjet cutters, however, can cut nearly any material.

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The stock thickness can also exceed that of lasers, depending on the water pressure and

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abrasive used.

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To summarize, despite higher upfront costs, laser cutting is faster, cheaper to run and

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more precise.

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Waterjet cutting is more versatile, cutting thicker, and a wider variety of stock.

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Thank you for watching.

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To learn more about different manufacturing processes, check out the CustomPartNet website.