Waterjet Cutting Technology

Our 2 smaller machines are powered by 50hp electric motors while the large machine uses a 100hp motor. Large water chillers cool the incoming purified water to about 40°F to counteract the rise in temperature caused by the extreme pressures generated in the pumps. The motor powers the pump to create 50,000psi of water pressure that is directed towards the nozzle through stainless steel tubing. The abrasive is an 80-grit garnet that is fed to the machines by air pressure from 600lb hoppers. The CNC waterjet machines use a venturi effect to inject 1lb per minute of garnet into the high-pressure waterjet stream. This “liquid sandpaper” can cut nearly any material from thin glass to 6″ thick hardened steel to granite. The waterjet cut is the most preferred cutting method by most engineers and fabricators because it does not create a heat-affected zone (HAZ) that can change the material’s temper and complicate downstream milling, drilling, and welding processes. It also leaves a nicely sanded edge that may not need any downstream finishing. Other CNC cutting methods like laser, plasma, and oxygen/acetylene cutting create a HAZ that makes drilling and tapping holes far more problematic! Welders also prefer the waterjet cut edge for weld prep and smooth welding.

The Waterjet West Advantage

After cutting 10’s thousands of pounds of material every month on our 3 OMAX waterjets, the team at Waterjet West has gained the experience to handle the most complicated projects. We offer free freight shipping to Southern California, from Oxnard to Riverside, and down to San Diego County on orders over $1000 via Hollywood Delivery Services. We offer free nationwide shipping on orders over $1000 that are smaller than 48″ x30″ and under 50lb.

Our portfolio spans the spectrum, from crafting intricate art pieces to cutting spacecraft prototype materials to cutting machine-ready blanks from Inconel, Hastelloy, and brass/aluminum alloys to tackling high-volume routine production runs. Suppose you are a professional engineer supplying us with DXF files, or someone with absolutely no CAD experience and a drawing on a napkin. In that case, we can get you what you need quickly and effectively.

Quick Processing and On-Time Deliveries

Our goal is to turn around quotes within 24 hours, but sometimes, sourcing complicated or rare materials will require more time. Waterjet West normally offers a 3-5 day turnaround on most jobs, but please reach out as soon as possible because we often get large jobs consuming individual machines for weeks at a time. This can sometimes push the lead time out to 10-14 days, but rarely, we cannot complete a job in 2 weeks. We offer an expedited option for an additional charge that can be as quick as the same day, depending on our material stock and the job time.

If you have a routine requirement for parts to be CNC cut on the waterjet, please reach out to us for contract pricing and have your production time locked into our schedule. We excel at delivering parts within specifications and on time every time.

Beyond Cutting

Waterjet West doesn’t just stop at cutting; we offer a full spectrum of in-house services, including engineering support, welding, drilling and tapping, sanding and polishing, chamfering/beveling, and metal forming. We understand that a successful project isn’t just about cutting materials; it’s about providing end-to-end solutions that cater to your needs and timelines. We have a large list of trusted local partners that we work with regularly for things like roll forming, powder coating, anodizing, and certified welding. Please reach out and let us know if you prefer that we handle the manufacturing downstream of the CNC waterjet cutting service. We can deliver your parts coated, polished, tapped, chamfered, and machined to your specifications to minimize how many companies you need to work with.

Quality Systems

Quality systems are critical to our operations. We have a calibration program to ensure all of our metrology is in tolerance. The OMAX waterjets are calibrated to within 0.001″ daily and during material changes. Our part inspection station consists of a granite table with a digital height gauge, calipers, micrometers, pin gauges, angle finders and more. If you have strict tolerances that require full NIST traceability, please reach out with your requirements.

We are in the process of ISO9001: 2015 and AS9100 certifications. We have been creating and implementing documentation with the expectation that we are certified in 2024.

Our critical equipment is on a Preventative Maintenance Program to ensure that it’s operating as smoothly as possible when we are cutting your parts. We also stock all of the common failure points in our equipment to keep downtime to a minimum.