Water, forced through a small hole at speeds up to Mach 2.5 can carve its way through any material. Waterjet applications can range from the delicate task of cutting cake to the arduous job of penetrating armor plate. In between lies the palette of materials commonly used by architects and interior designers, including steel, aluminum, brass, glass, wood, marble, granite and ceramic tile. Waterjet-cutting technology goes beyond traditional cutting methods. Clients are looking for unique designs that endure. Waterjet cutting technology has risen to the challenge. It is proving itself as flexible, accurate and fast. And designers utilizing this technology are on the cutting edge. For products such as plastics and rubber, for example, water alone will penetrate the material. For harder materials, such as metals, glass and stone, an abrasive, usually garnet, is added to the cutting process. In either case, the highly pressurized water or pressurized water and abrasive is passed through a narrow orifice in a cutting head positioned above the material to be cut. The size of the orifice is adjusted to suit the material density. The material which a waterjet system will penetrate are endless. To date, for example, some of the applications have been used with ceramic tile, marble and stone. The erosion process creates no burring or rough edges which often eliminates the necessity of additional finishing operations. There are no start holes created and parts can be optimally placed to fully utilize a piece of material. FDA regulations allow the use of waterjet technology in cutting food items. Watetjets have proven themselves as both efficient and sanitary. On the other extreme, abrasive waterjet systems (AWJ) are used to bombard armor plating in the assembly of M1 tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles. In between lies a wide spectrum of other applications. Artists, interior designers and shipbuilders are among the many who are embracing waterjet technology. Waterjet technology is performing old tasks in a new and efficient manner. Complex and intricate designs and mosaics made of tile, stone and glass, often used in decorative surfaces and corporation logos, are now executed with the aid of a waterjet. Many of the projects would have been impossible to create without a waterjet because of the intricacy of the design and the fragile nature of the materials used. Some material provided by: RICHEL, INC. Waterjet Consultants 200 Northeast Avenue Tallmadge, Ohio, 44278

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