Abrasive Water Jet is the technology used by Precision Waterjet to cut virtually any shape in any material.

You may have heard of the terms "Waterjet" and "Abrasive jet". Waterjet cutting has been around since the early seventies but was of little value to engineers as then it was only capable of cutting thin gasket and foam materials. Abrasive jets extended the concept about 10 years later.

Both technologies use the principle of pressurizing water to extremely high pressures, and allowing the water to escape through a very small opening (typically called the "orifice" or "jewel").

Water jets use the beam of water exiting the orifice (or jewel) to cut soft materials like confectionery and foam etc. but are not effective for cutting harder materials.

Abrasive jets use that same beam of water to accelerate abrasive particles to speeds fast enough to cut through much harder materials.

Today, cutting through 200mm of stainless steel, with a square edge, to close tolerance is no longer fiction – it is a reality with the right type of machine.