A Manufacturer’s Guide to Laser Cutting vs. Waterjet Cutting

Nov 21, 2016

aser cutting and waterjet cutting are the two most commonly used methods of material cutting for manufacturers across all industries. Learn about each of these cutting methods, the machines that perform them, and the unique advantages and disadvantages of each.

Laser Cutting

Laser cutting machines use a gas laser (typically CO2), beamed and directed by mirrors, to cut a wide variety of materials with extreme precision. With CO2 lasers, the source of the laser is found within the laser cutting machine. Laser cutters can typically beam their lasers at an output of 1.5 to 2.6 kilowatts, and because of the fineness of the laser, machines can cut with precision as fine as 0.006 inches depending on the material. Laser cutters can be used effectively on a number of materials, including glass, plastic, wood, and many metals. However, CO2 laser cutters should not be used on highly reflective materials. Instead, solid-state fiber optic lasers, which use amplified light in fiber optic cables, should be used due to their significantly lower refractivity.

Laser Cutting by the Numbers

  • Beam output: 1.5-2.6 kilowatts
  • Maximum cutting slit thinness (precision): 0.006 inches
  • Optimal material thickness range for cutting: 0.12-0.4 inches
  • Materials: glass, plastic, wood, and metals

Waterjet Cutting

Unlike laser cutting, waterjet cutting uses pressurized water emitted at high speeds to cut materials. Often, a granular abrasive such as garnet is added to the water to increase the jet’s cutting power. With outputs ranging from 60,000 to 90,000 psi, waterjets can cut a wide range of materials in varying levels of thickness. Though typically somewhat less precise than laser cutters, waterjet cutting machines do not produce a “heat-affected zone” on the materials they cut where the heat emitted from a laser cutter can warp the material closest to the cut. In instances where thick or highly reflective metal must be cut, waterjet machines are much more effective than their laser-emitting counterparts.

Waterjet Cutting by the Numbers

  • Jet output: 60,000 to 90,000 psi
  • Maximum cutting slit thinness (precision): 0.02 inches
  • Optimal material thickness range for cutting: 0.4-2.0 inches, but with CMS/Tecnocut’s IKC technology (Intelligent Kerf Compensation) added to the waterjet’s cutting nozzle the output tube can be angled so that the waterjet can cut from the side of the cutting stream’s “cone” at a greater depth, since the angle of the cutting nozzle is being controlled to cut with the side of the “cone” rather than from the center of the stream.
  • Materials: virtually any materials to thicknesses over 12 inches

Overall, both methods of cutting offer unique benefits depending on the type of material, precision requirements, and thickness of the cut. Talking with a professional about industry standards, desired outputs, and material usage can offer additional guidance.