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Although the waterjet cutting technology has been around for many years, it is just now starting to take hold in the countertop industry, particularly for those companies cutting engineered stone, although it can certainly cut solid surface, granite, marble, tile and just about anything else not susceptible to damage by water. This technology, which uses a highly focused stream of water mixed with an abrasive aggregate, can cut through inches of hard and shiny material like butter. While the technology is typically slower than the saw on straight cuts, it can handle radius cuts that no saw can tackle and is becoming a part of the regular vocabulary of the industry. So, with that in mind, we have talked to the manufacturers and distributors of this equipment and gathered some information on the latest and greatest in waterjet cutting to help you sort out the options.

Barton Mines Company LLC offers a comprehensive line of high-performance HPX hard rock and HPA alluvial garnet abrasives that reportedly deliver consistent cutting performance for every waterjet application. HPX High-Performance Crystalline Abrasives have sharp edges, are fast cutting and produce less dust reports the company. HPA High-Performance Alluvial Abrasives is a workhorse for less demanding cutting applications. Barton has supply partners around the globe, domestic production facilities and regional distribution centers strategically located nationwide.
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Calypso Water Jet Systems now offers the new J-Class waterjet system. It was designed for price sensitive buyers with simple requirements for a waterjet system. The Calypso Hammer Head and the Calypso LWA (large work area) waterjet system series offers many features such as dual cutting heads, mirrored-image cutting, next generation digital servo technology, digital abrasive feeder to control production costs and bridged gantry with multiple table size options. The systems are suitable cutting machines for the metal, glass and stone industries.
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CMS/Brembana offers its AQUATEK 1740, a 157- by 78-in. bed in a mono block construction with stainless steel tank using a 60-hp "Jet Power" with three computer-controlled parallel intensifiers. The benefit is the efficiency of a crank-driven pump while having all the advantages of less maintenance and faster cutting speeds of an intensifier reports the company. Other features include: automatic servo controlled 'Z' axis control for the optimum cut; automatic collision sensor to avoid broken focusing tubes; and automatic dredge to eliminate downtime for cleaning the tank. It also includes patented "Fire Jet" for honing or hydroflaming stone.
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ESAB Cutting Systems' Hydrocut CNC shape cutting machine combines waterjet and plasma cutting capabilities in a single machine. HydroCut uses patented system permitting thermal and nonthermal processes to be installed on the same gantry, allowing the machine to cut with the speed of plasma and accuracy of a waterjet. High-precision contours on stone can be cut with waterjet, while less stringent contours on other materials can be cut with plasma.
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Flow Corporation's StoneCrafter, with 87,000-psi waterjet cutting, quickly cuts stone and engineered solid surface materials. It incorporates a design that combines the motion control, pump and high-pressure components of a waterjet cutting tool into one compact machine. It consumes minimal floor space, provides good operator access and is configured for easy material loading and unloading. The pump allows you to further increase productivity and lower costs with higher pressure reports the company.
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Capable of producing complex parts out of virtually any material, the Jet Edge High Rail Gantry features a stable overhead design that allows full access to the work envelope and raises critical components out of the process environment. Jet Edge utilizes high-volume, low-pressure air around the ballscrews and linear motion guides and bearings, which increases durability by preventing contamination from entering these areas. It is available in 2-ft. increments from 4 by 4 ft. to 24 by 14 ft.
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Jordon Waterjets offers a waterjet unit that is smart enough to adjust its speed based on the lines and corners of your cut. Its cut tolerance is +/- 0.1 mm with a repeatability tolerance of +/- 0.05 mm. Choose the best type of pump for your application. Select from the company's 36,000- to 55,000-psi pumps. Drawings can be designed in AutoCAD or similar programs and uploaded to the jet for simple cutting.
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The IDE Assembly Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Head, from KMT Waterjet Systems, is designed with the fewest possible parts. The head body, orifice and mixing chamber are combined into one piece based on a "coalescing plenum" for effective and efficient mixing of water and abrasive, thereby minimizing jet stream disruption for maximum energy in the waterjet stream. The IDE provides a more consistent stream for a longer amount of time extending the focusing tube life, providing a more consistent edge, reducing scrap and eliminating waste says the company.
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The CNC Water Jet from Marmo Machinery USA cuts 11.8 in. per min. on marble and granite thicknesses up to 4.7 in. and is capable of cutting complex granite and marble countertops in a single pass. These cuts are made by high-pressure water mixed with garnet, requiring no tools to change or stock. Electronic metering provides the correct mixture of abrasive and water for optimum machine cutting performance. The machine has a welded steel frame. Linearguide ways provide axis movement and are powered by precision ball-bearing screws.
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Waterjet powered by Mitsubishi Electric has many advanced programming capabilities. The new technology is a complement to saw cutting and routing; and enables straight-line cutting for countertops with the added flexibility of radius. Users can preserve accuracy while achieving complicated and intricate countertop inlay designs. The waterjet is available in three models: 2- to 3-axis Classica, 4-axis Suprema and 5-axis Evolution X5, plus several variations in table size. The line is available with one or two heads and features stainless steel tables for easier maintenance and cleaner cutting conditions.
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Northwood's SawJET is an all-in-one abrasive waterjet and 360-degree programmable saw. It is designed specifically for the stone countertop industry. There are single (NW-127) and dual table (NW-257, shown) configurations available, capable of running 10- to 12-in. saw blades. It features a 50-hp abrasive waterjet with a standard 15-hp saw and is equipped with StoneVision and SawJET software.
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The FABRICATOR JetCutting Center is OMAX Corporation's latest abrasive waterjet addition designed specifically to support large format cutting in metal or stone fabrication shops. A major attraction is its ability to add on any number of 6-ft. table extensions to increase its cutting length and enable the machining of even larger materials. Its high cutting speed, combined with minimal setup times, maximizes a user's flexibility and productivity reports the company. Based on the Windows XP operating system, the FABRICATOR provides user-friendly software that simplifies a traditionally challenging and complex cutting process. Materials can be machined directly from existing CAD drawings or .DXF files.
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There are three FUSION CNC Saw & Waterjet versions available from Park Industries based to meet your current and future production needs. The saw has a 20-hp motor which runs the 16-in. blade producing a cutting rate of 17 feet per minute. The waterjet system has a 50-hp intensifier pump rated at 60,000 psi. The waterjet cut matches a common line cut with the saw blade for finishing contoured cuts, holes and blade to part kerf interferences. The series can fabricate full slabs up to 12 by 7 ft.. In addition, the systems feature a part nesting software which increases stone yield while reducing material costs, reports the company.

Stiles Machinery Inc. has announced the availability of Belotti waterjet cutting systems in the United States. The waterjet machining process delivers precise, intricate, high-speed cuts on all types of material. From aluminum to glass, stone to titanium, fiberglass to steel, the Belotti technology expands cutting options while optimizing productivity and reducing material waste. Belotti waterjet cutting systems are supported by the full range of Total Production Solutions offered by Stiles.
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RoboCut 6 Axis Water Jet/Saw Cutting System, from US Granite Robotics Inc., is designed specifically for the stone fabricator. The system is well equipped with a Saccardo 20-hp saw motor using 16- to 18-in. blades and a 50-hp KMT Water Jet for precise cutting. Utilizing a double table cutting system allows for maximum productivity and shorter time for loading and unloading slabs says the company. RoboLogic software allows one step importing of .DXF files and the preprogrammed process settings do the work for you.
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WARDJet has released the "X-Series" waterjet systems. With 8-axis motion standard, expandable to 64-axis, virtually any simultaneous movement of multiple cutting heads on independent Z carriages is possible. The series has instant software upgrades, two 15-in. touch-screen monitors, built-in video cameras and live tech support at the controller complemented with wireless communication to each Z carriage. Also, every WARDJet system sold can be retrofitted with the X-Series capabilities.
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