Water Jet Cutting
MI offers precision water jet cutting as an alternative to die cutting
whenever it is necessary due to material callouts, precision tolerances, or is
simply more
economical. Water jet cutters are relatively slow compared to die
cutting since they must cut all the way around the perimeter of each part rather
than stamp entire parts out in a single stroke, but have other offsetting
advantages, such as:
1. Little or no initial tooling and setup costs except whatever time is
required to program the CNC controller.
2. Relatively quick setups after initial program is developed.
 3.
Depending on material, thickness, and tolerance requirements, water jet cutters
can often cut through multiple layers at a time.
4. Machines can usually operate unattended, meaning lower labor costs.
5. Easily facilitate maximum material usage with offset patterns or parts
within parts.
6. Large cutting area eliminates most preliminary slitting, shearing, and
blanking from raw material rolls or sheets.
Most parts that can be made with a waterjet cutter can also be fabricated
using die cutting, machining, and/or molding, so don't be fooled by a
manufacturer that presents their best offer as the
best offer without considering possibilities that go beyond their own
capabilities.
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