Waterjet
Our waterjet cutter uses the power of highly pressurized, abrasive-free water, and the precision of computer programming to create highly detailed products. With the jet of water pressurized at 60,000 psi, traveling at three times the speed of sound, we are able to cut through foam products as thick as 4 inches. For perspective, the cutter is able to slice through a 1/2 inch piece of plywood on our standard foam-cutting settings with a water stream only .005 inches in diameter. After the pattern is programmed, a foam sheet is placed on a bed of 7 inch corrugated plastic that diffuses the jet’s stream. The nozzle hovers over the sheet, tracing the form's outline with the jet, cutting through the foam cleanly.
While they both provide the same level of precision, the waterjet cutter is for lower volume product runs than the die cutter. This is because the time it takes to trace every cut can take minutes, while a single pressing on the die cutter only takes seconds. However, because the waterjet cutter only requires programming, it carries a shorter lead-time than the die cutter, and costs less than creating press plates. Waterjet projects are typically limited-volume products like prototypes, specialized packaging forms, gaskets, and toys.
Examples of products fabricated by this machine:
NOTE: Rough edges and markings will be cleaned for any and all finished products.