People have been wanting to know whether water jet cutting is the better option for cutting materials than wire EDM cutting. We can only arrive at the appropriate answer after making a comparative analysis between these two.

 When the topic of discussion is all about the finest material cutting method to use in an industry, the material’s tolerance level is that one factor that will help determine the amount of precision you need to apply for shaping and cutting your material.

Nowadays, we have many different kinds of cutting technologies, while they seem to look similar to each other, there are a few aspects of water jet cutting  that gives it a competitive edge over EDM cutting.

EDM Cutting

When working on a qualified tough material like steel and titanium, wire EDM cutting method can be used for this purpose to cut and shape them with respect to the requirements of your project. However, you need to make sure that your workpiece is electrically conductive.

Intense heat is produced by the electrode which creates a spark. Temperatures can go high here and would range from 8,000 to 12,000 degrees Celsius. At this point, almost everything will reach their melting point. This spark is controlled so you can shape the material the way you intend it to while water takes with it the eroded particles. At the same time, it also acts as a coolant. By this measure, the spark will only have an impact on your given material’s surface.

The high level of precision of EDM cutting is one of its major selling points. Water jet cutting technology is way more accurate than EDM cutting, about 10 times more.

Water jet Cutting

Water jet technology is a cutting-edge technique that allows you to shape a wide range of materials, starting from titanium to ceramics. If you employ this material cutting method, high-pressure steam will be produced to create a narrow line in your given material. Depending on how stiff your material is, you can add a granular abrasive to the water. By this measure, you can further intensify your machine’s cutting power.

You may want to look at your water jet cutting machine as a faster version of an EDM machine, however, it is less precise. Water jet cutting technology’s primary advantage is its speed. It is capable of executing cuts that are at least 10 times faster compared to EDM. In addition to this, water jet cutting technology is not constrained to anything. It can even cut conductive materials, which is the primary limiting factor for EDM machines.

As opposed to wire EDM, among the major setbacks you are likely to encounter with water jet technology is the level of difficulty you’ll have when working with thin materials. The pressure can go too high, and this may induce vibration on thin parts. This signifies that you need to allow each piece to be with reduced pressures. Hence, less level of accuracy can be anticipated.

Which Material Cutting Technology Should You Choose? 
If the material cutting project you are working on involves a smaller area, yet calls for a high level of accuracy, then the use of EDM technology makes a practical choice. On the other hand, if what you have has a wider surface and precision is not the center of your focus but speed is, the use of a waterjet cutting machine should be most applicable.