Stone cutting is required to make it usable for any application. For this purpose, traditional cutting tools such as angle grinders or blades are used for very small-scale applications. However, these cutting tools don’t work well for large production applications because of the thickness of the stone and frequent wear and tear on blades.
Therefore, modern methods such as laser and water jet stone cutting have wide applications in the stone cutting industry. Many experts consider cutting stone with water jet cutter technology the best modern method.
Can You Cut Stone With a Water Jet?
Yes. It is possible to cut any type of stone using waterjet technology. Water jet cutting is one the most common industrial cutting methods for engineered stone, thick granite, marble, and even other materials that aren’t stone, such as glass, metals, and plastics.
A waterjet stone cutting machine can easily cut 12 inches of stone at high speed. It is possible to cut more than 12-inch-thick granite, marble, and other similar stone. However, greater thickness reduces cutting speeds.
Benefits of Cutting Stone With a Water Jet Machine
Using a waterjet for stone cutting is better than traditional cutting tools. This is because of the several benefits that a waterjet cutter provides. Some of these benefits include:
Cold Cutting Process
– Waterjet cutting is a cold cutting process, so it doesn’t cause heating of the cut area. Other cutting processes that use heat, such as laser cutting, create visible heat marks on the surface.
– Heat stress also causes the material to lose its original strength and internal structure. The stone retains its original appearance in waterjet cutting – an immense benefit for stones like granite or marble.
– Most stones have applications in aesthetic and decor projects. Therefore, the ability of a waterjet cutter to retain the original appearance of the stone being cut is a primary reason to use this method.
No Cracking
In water jet cutting, there is neither heat nor any lateral force. The water beam is focused on little spots on the stone, eliminating the possibility of stone cracking and surface stress even at a high cutting speed.
Dust Free Cutting
One of the major issues while cutting stones is the dust generated in the process, especially with ceramic tile, granite, and marble. Dust can cause respiratory issues for workers close to where stone cutting is performed.
However, in water jet cutting, the stone particles removed from the workpiece get suspended in the water. Therefore, no dust particles are released into the air, leading to a cleaner and safer work environment.
Etching
Waterjet cutting is not just capable of cutting stone but also etching the surface of the stone. In fact, waterjet CNC machines can produce automated etching of digital designs on any stone.
Etching works exceptionally well for materials like marble, glass, granite, limestone, and other materials. The depth of the etching produced by the water jet can be adjusted, leading to exceptional details and quality.
Eco-Friendly
All the water used in the water jet cutting process can be recycled back into the system. The dust captured in the water can also be collected and used as an abrasive when cutting other materials with a waterjet cutter.
This makes water jet cutting a very sustainable and eco-friendly process.
Versatile
Water jet cutting is a very versatile process. The machine has flexible tooling to cut different pieces of stone without making any changes to the machine setup.
The advantages of flexible tooling are that it reduces costs for labor and downtime required for changing tools.
Accurate
Water jet cutting has exceptional accuracy and produces minimal kerfs when cutting stone or any other material. Traditional cutting methods cannot achieve this kind of accuracy due to manual errors. The high accuracy is beneficial for applications like stone tiles, where a high degree of consistency is required.
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Video source: Wonderful Secrets Of The World