Comparison And Difference Between Laser Cutting And Water Knife Cutting

In modern manufacturing, laser cutting machines and water knife cutting machines are two common and widely used high -precision cutting technologies. Both technologies have their unique advantages, but there are significant differences. The following two cutting techniques will be compared in detail, including their working principles, application scope, cutting thickness and accuracy.

1.Working principle
The water knife cuts the water through the pressure in the container to the ultra -high pressure, and then the high -pressure water flows through a very small nozzle to cut the material. Sometimes in order to increase the cutting ability, pomegranate sand, diamonds and other materials are added to the water.
In contrast, laser cutting is to generate high -power laser beams and irradiate into materials that need to be cut. Due to the high temperature generated by the laser, the material of the cutting site will melt or vaporize to achieve cutting.

2.Cut material
The water knife cutting is almost unlimited in cutable materials. Common cutting materials include plastic, rubber, stone, tiles, stainless steel, and other metals. Because water knife cutting does not generate heat, it can avoid problems such as melting, raising, curvature or combustion.
Laser cutting is mainly used for cutting of metal materials, such as stainless steel, carbon steel and various aluminum alloy. Some laser can also be used for cutting of non -conductive materials such as plastic, wood and glass. However, it should be noted that due to the heat generated by laser, it may have an impact on certain metal products.
3.Cut thickness
The thickness of the material cutting of the water knife is not limited, and its cutting ability mainly depends on the pressure of the water flow. The larger the pressure, the thicker the material.
For laser cutting, power, material types, metal melting points and thermal conductivity can affect the thickness of laser cutting.

4.Cutting accuracy and quality
The width of the cutting incision of the water knife is about 0.7 mm. The cutting surface is very thin, but there will be some errors from the top of the incision, the thicker the material, the greater the error.
In contrast, the error of the optical fiber laser cutting machine is small, and laser cutting can make the surface of the cutting material cleaner and smooth, but as the cut thickness or speed increases, some stripes may also be left.

In Conclusion
In general, there is almost no limit to the cutting material and thickness of the water knife. Although the cutting speed is not as fast as laser in certain materials, it can provide high -quality cutting effect and does not produce heat that affects the material. Laser cutting is known for its fast and accurate, suitable for use in occasions and thickness that need to be considered. Under normal circumstances, the speed and accuracy of laser cutting are very high, but when cutting thick materials, it may be affected by the heat, which will affect the characteristics of the material.
When selecting cutting technology, it is necessary to consider factors such as specific engineering needs, material characteristics and expected cutting quality. No matter which technology is selected, the accuracy and efficiency of cutting should be ensured, and the safety of the staff should be ensured.