Metals - Ferrous Metals

Abrasive waterjets are ideally suited for tough metal cutting

Benefits of using waterjet cutting for metals:

No heat-affected zone: Waterjet cutting is a cold method that eliminates the risk of thermal impact, thus preserving the original properties of the material without it hardening or deforming at the face of the cut.
Versatility: Ability to cut through all types of alloys, including high-resistance and heat-sensitive materials, without compromising quality.
High level of precision: The narrow kerf allows intricate and complex shapes to be cut with minimal material loss, which is particularly beneficial for advanced design requirements.
Environmentally friendly process: As no smoke or harmful vapours are emitted during the process, waterjet cutting makes for a cleaner and safer working environment.
Reduced need for fixtures: The low lateral and vertical forces during cutting minimise the need for extensive clamping, which simplifies set-up and saves time.
Processing of thick materials: Waterjet cutting can cut thicker materials than laser technology and offers more precise cutting compared to plasma or flame-cutting processes.

Choosing abrasive waterjet cutting for ferrous metals ensures efficient, precise and environmentally friendly production that meets high standards of quality.

Ferrous metals commonly processed using waterjet cutting:

Cast iron
Wrought iron
Stainless steel
Tool steel
Alloy steels such as Hastelloy, Hardox, Inconel, Monel and Duplex steels

Keywords explained

Ferrous metals

Ferrous metals are metals that contain iron. Common examples include steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, tool steel and many steel alloys.

Waterjet cutting ferrous metals

Waterjet cutting ferrous metals means cutting iron-based metals with high-pressure water and abrasive. The process is useful when precision, low heat impact and flexibility are important.

Steel waterjet cutting

Steel waterjet cutting is the process of cutting steel sheets, plates or components with abrasive waterjet technology. It can be used for both simple blanks and more complex steel geometries.

Carbon steel

Carbon steel is an iron-based material where carbon is the main alloying element. It is widely used in structural parts, machine components, plates and industrial applications.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a ferrous metal with chromium content that improves corrosion resistance. Waterjet cutting can be useful when stainless steel needs to be cut without thermal discoloration or heat-affected zones.

Tool steel

Tool steel is a hard and wear-resistant steel often used for tools, dies, machine parts and demanding industrial components. Abrasive waterjet cutting can be useful when the material is difficult to process with other methods.

Hardened steel

Hardened steel has been heat-treated to improve hardness and wear resistance. Since waterjet cutting is a cold process, it can cut hardened steel without adding new heat to the material.

Cast iron

Cast iron is an iron-based material with high carbon content. It is commonly used for heavy-duty components, machine bases, housings and industrial parts.

Wear-resistant steel

Wear-resistant steel is designed to withstand abrasion and mechanical wear. It is often used in heavy industry, mining, transport and machinery applications where durability is important.

Heat-affected zone in steel

A heat-affected zone is the area of steel affected by heat during thermal cutting. Waterjet cutting does not create a heat-affected zone, which helps preserve the original material properties.

Thermal hardening

Thermal hardening can occur when heat from a cutting process changes the structure or hardness of the material along the cut edge. Cold waterjet cutting helps avoid this type of heat-related edge effect.

Steel plate cutting

Steel plate cutting means cutting flat steel plates into parts, blanks or components. Waterjet cutting can be suitable when thick plates, tight tolerances or low heat impact are important.

Bevel cutting steel

Bevel cutting steel means cutting an angled edge instead of a straight vertical edge. This can be useful for weld preparation, chamfers and parts that require angled geometry.

Abrasive flow

Abrasive flow describes how much abrasive is added to the waterjet stream. For ferrous metals, abrasive flow affects cutting speed, edge quality and the ability to cut harder or thicker materials.

Edge quality in steel cutting

Edge quality describes the finish, accuracy and consistency of the cut edge. In ferrous metal cutting, it is affected by steel grade, thickness, hardness, cutting speed, abrasive flow, water pressure and machine setup.

FAQ

Can waterjet cutting be used for ferrous metals?

Yes, waterjet cutting can be used for many ferrous metals, including steel, stainless steel, carbon steel, tool steel, hardened steel, cast iron and steel alloys. The process uses high-pressure water combined with abrasive to cut the material with high precision.

It is suitable for applications where material properties, edge quality and dimensional accuracy are important.

What type of waterjet machine is suitable for ferrous metal cutting?

The right waterjet machine depends on the steel grade, material thickness, sheet or plate size, required precision, production volume and type of parts being produced. Important factors include pump capacity, cutting head setup, abrasive flow, table size and software workflow.

For advanced components, bevel cutting or 5-axis cutting may also be relevant.

Why is abrasive used when cutting ferrous metals?

Abrasive is used because ferrous metals are hard materials that cannot normally be cut efficiently with water alone. The high-pressure water accelerates abrasive particles, which erode the metal and create the cut.

Abrasive waterjet cutting makes it possible to cut steel, stainless steel, tool steel and other iron-based materials with high precision.

Does waterjet cutting create heat-affected zones in steel?

No, waterjet cutting does not create heat-affected zones because it is a cold cutting process. The metal is cut without thermal stress, which helps preserve the original material properties.

This is especially useful for stainless steel, tool steel, hardened steel and other ferrous metals where heat can affect performance, shape or surface quality.

Can waterjet cutting reduce distortion and hardening in ferrous metals?

Yes, waterjet cutting can reduce the risk of distortion and heat-related hardening because the process does not use heat. Thermal cutting methods can cause steel to expand, contract, warp or change hardness near the cut edge.

By cutting cold, waterjet technology helps maintain dimensional stability and supports more predictable part quality.

Can waterjet cutting be used for thick steel plates?

Yes, abrasive waterjet cutting can be used for thick steel plates. The possible thickness depends on the steel grade, pump pressure, cutting head setup, abrasive flow, required edge quality and production speed.

For thick or demanding materials, test cutting can help define the most suitable process settings.

Is waterjet cutting suitable for hardened steel and tool steel?

Yes, waterjet cutting can be suitable for hardened steel and tool steel. Since the process does not add heat, it can cut hard materials without creating new heat-affected zones along the cut edge.

This makes it useful for parts where hardness, wear resistance and dimensional accuracy must be maintained.

How does waterjet cutting compare with laser or plasma cutting for steel?

Laser and plasma cutting can be fast and efficient for many steel applications, but they use heat. This can create heat-affected zones, thermal distortion or changes in the cut edge.

Waterjet cutting is different because it is a cold process. It is often preferred when material integrity, thick materials, complex shapes or reduced secondary processing are important.

Can waterjet cutting be used for steel prototypes and custom parts?

Yes, waterjet cutting is well suited for steel prototypes and custom parts. Since the process is digitally controlled and does not require dedicated tooling, it can support short runs, design changes and one-off components.

This flexibility is useful for product development, maintenance parts, special projects and customer-specific production.

What information should I provide for a ferrous metal cutting application?

To evaluate a ferrous metal cutting application, it is helpful to provide the material type, steel grade, sheet or plate size, material thickness, part geometry, tolerance requirements, edge quality expectations and production volume.

It is also useful to share CAD files or drawings, information about holes, bevels, internal cut-outs, post-processing needs and whether the application involves prototypes, recurring production, thick plate cutting or hardened materials.