Waterjet Vs. Laser Cutting: Which Is Worth The Hype?

Published on: 19 December 2018 Last Updated on: 12 September 2024

Waterjet and laser cutters can slice through materials that no other cutting tool can. They are invaluable for prototyping products and precision manufacturing. But which one is worth the hype – waterjets or laser cutters? This article provides everything you need to know about waterjet vs laser cutting units. Learn how they work and which one is best for your industrial manufacturing facility.

Waterjet Vs Laser Cutting:

Unlike the vast majority of blades and saws, waterjets and laser cutters don’t have a blade. The lack of a blade makes engraving and detail work much more precise. And, waterjets and laser cutters are computer operated, as to achieve a very high level of precision.

Both machines can engrave minute lettering and symbology into a wide range of manufacturing materials. But each machine goes about it a very different way.

Both methods of cutting excel with 2D objects and engraving, but which is better: waterjet or laser cutting?

What Is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting uses a high-focus laser to cut or engrave materials. Laser cutting is a method of subtractive manufacturing, which means it only takes away material.

This is in opposition to additive manufacturing, like 3D printing.

Special software guides the lasers using mirrors. A gas power source provides energy to the system, usually in the form of CO2. The CO2 fuels the laser which outputs between 1,500 and 2,600 watts.

Some systems implement an additional gas jet to expel the excess material.

Laser cutting is a very precise form of subtractive manufacturing. The intense heat of the laser cuts through material like a razor using a precision burn. Laser systems cut material from sheets or large panels.

Laser Cutter Materials:

Laser cutting systems make precision cuts in a wide range of materials. The only material that a laser cutter is not “cut-out” for is reflective metals. The reflective property of some metal reflects the laser off of the cutting surface, which can be dangerous.

Laser cutters are great for cutting glass, wood, plastic, and a wide range of metals.

Laser cutters encounter obstacles, however, when trying to cut compound materials. If the material contains multiple materials, then it has multiple melting points. If the material has multiple melting points, then a laser takes longer to cut through it, and cuts can become uneven.

Laser cutting systems work the best with flat sheets of material, with a thickness range between 0.1 inches to just under a half-inch.

And, most laser cutting systems proficiently perform the functions of cutting, drilling, engraving, welding, ablating, and structuring.

What Is Waterjet Cutting?

Waterjet cutting systems utilize a high-pressure waterjet to slice through materials. The water is shot through a very fine point and creates over 60,000 pounds of pressure per square inch.

For tougher materials, a mixture of water and an abrasive acts like a diamond saw blade.

Garnet is a common abrasive for use in waterjet cutters. Aluminum oxide is another common abrasive that you can use with a waterjet cutter.

The process of waterjet cutting is a high-speed version of natural erosion. With a big enough waterjet cutter, you can make another grand canyon in a fraction of the time. Read more about how the best water jets can cut through anything nature makes.

Waterjet cutters differ from laser cutters in that the power source does not reside with the cutting unit. Since a waterjet cutter outputs between 4 to 7 kilowatts, the water pump is located away from the worksite. This is also true because the water source is rarely nearby your bench.

Waterjet Cutting Materials:

Unlike a laser cutter, waterjet cutters can effectively cut almost any material. They have no problem cutting through compound materials with multiple material types. The pure pressure of the water jet is enough to cut cleanly through anything.

Waterjet cutter units are especially useful for cutting precisely through masonry. They’re also good for cutting and structuring stone, thick metals, ceramics, and glass.

Waterjets handle thicker material than laser cutters. They can handle material that is up to around 2 inches thick. But they don’t do as well with material thinner than 0.4 inches.

Level of Waste from Waterjet vs Laser Cutting:

Laser cutters create a minimal amount of off-fall and waste. Very little, if any, cleanup is required after cutting. The only waste that laser cutting produces is a small amount of dust that is easily vacuumed up.

Waterjet cutting, on the other hand, creates a lot of waste. You might think that waterjet cutting would be cleaner, but it is not. The abrasive material in the water adds a toxic element to the off-fall liquid.

For this reason, waterjet cutting requires special waste-water disposal, safety gear, and a bigger project budget.

What’s the Cost to Purchase and Operate a Waterjet vs Laser Cutter?

A plasma laser cutting machine will cost between $15,000 to over $250,000 at the initial purchase. Waterjet cutters are more expensive because they require more specialized materials. They range from $100,000 to around $400,000.

On average, either machine will cost around $350k. Expensive industrial machines can exceed $1,000,000.

On average, a laser cutter costs between $13 to $20 an hour to operate. Waterjet cutting systems run between $15 to $30 an hour to operate.

Final Thoughts:

At the end of the day, waterjet cutters cost up to five times more to operate than laser cutters. Waterjet cutters can cut thicker and more complex materials, but they are slower than laser cutters. So, when considering waterjet vs laser cutting, laser cutting will save you time and money.

If you like this article on which is better, share it with your friends on social media. And check out the blog for more resources on hardware and gadgets. Thanks for reading!

Read Also:

How Portable Metrology Tools Are Making Manufacturers More Flexible

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

How To See Someone’s Imessages Without Their Phone

In today's digital age, where communication largely takes place through smartphones, the ability to access someone's iMessages without having their phone in hand can be quite appealing. Whether you're a concerned parent wanting to monitor your child's activities or someone who suspects their partner of foul play, this guide will explore various methods to see someone's iMessages discreetly and legally. Also, you can visit MobiPast and find more specific articles. Introduction iMessage, Apple's proprietary instant messaging service, is known for its end-to-end encryption, which means it's not easy to access someone else's iMessages without their permission. However, there are legitimate scenarios where you might need to do so. Let's delve into these situations and explore the options available. Is It Legal? Before proceeding, it's essential to understand the legal implications of accessing someone's iMessages without their consent. In many jurisdictions, unauthorized access to another person's private messages is illegal and can lead to severe consequences. Always ensure you have the necessary permissions or legal justifications. Using iCloud One way to see someone's iMessage is by using their iCloud account. If they have iCloud Backup enabled, their messages may be stored there. However, you'll need their iCloud credentials to access this information. Read More: Why Should You Look Into Google Drive Alternatives? Using A Monitoring App Another method is to use a monitoring app designed for this purpose. These apps are often used by parents to keep an eye on their children's activities or by employers to monitor company devices. Be aware that installing such apps without consent may have legal implications. Contacting Apple Support If you have a legitimate reason to access someone's iMessage, you can contact Apple Support. They may be able to assist you in retrieving messages, but they typically require a valid reason and proper documentation. iMessage Forwarding If the person you want to monitor has their iMessages set up to forward to another device, you can access those messages on the receiving device. This method requires access to that specific device. Asking The Person Directly In some cases, the simplest approach is to have an open and honest conversation with the person whose iMessages you want to see. They may be willing to share their messages voluntarily. Understanding The Risks It's crucial to be aware of the potential risks associated with trying to access someone's iMessages without their consent. Legal consequences, damage to relationships, and breaches of trust are all possible outcomes. Ensuring Privacy If you decide to use any of the methods mentioned, always prioritize privacy and data security. Make sure your actions are in line with ethical and legal standards. Alternatives To Imessage Remember that iMessage is just one messaging platform. If your goal is simply to monitor communication, consider discussing alternative messaging apps or platforms with the person in question. Conclusion Accessing someone's messages without their phone can be a challenging endeavour, and it's essential to approach this issue with caution, legality, and respect for privacy. Always seek legal advice if you are uncertain about the legality of your actions. FAQs Is it legal to access someone's iMessages without their permission? It's generally illegal to access someone's messages without their consent. Ensure you have legal justifications or permissions. Can Apple Support help me access someone's iMessages? Apple Support may assist you if you have a legitimate reason and proper documentation. Are there monitoring apps available for accessing iMessages? Yes, there are monitoring apps designed for this purpose, but their use may have legal consequences. What are the risks of trying to access someone's messages without their consent? Risks include legal consequences, damage to relationships, and breaches of trust. Should I consider alternative messaging apps? If your goal is simply to monitor communication, discussing alternative messaging platforms with the person involved may be an option. Additional: How To Delete A Page In Google Docs What Data Does Google Analytics Prohibit Collecting? How Does Google Ads Generate Responsive Search Ads?

SIP Vs. VOIP, What’s The Difference?: An Introduction On The Two Technologies And Their Main Differences To Choose What’s Best For You

Reaching out to people online has evolved to go beyond text and voice modes. And although they remain relevant today especially for businesses (thus the growing relevance of virtual number providers like Telnum), we’ve also become accustomed to the more advanced video communication. And as easy as it may be for us to use these technologies today, choosing which ones to help you make these happen – at least on an organizational level – is still hard. If you’re not directly working in an industry related to internet technology, you may not have an idea of what would be in your best business interest. That’s why we’ll dedicate this post to educating you on the difference between the two most thrown around acronyms today: SIP and VOIP. Many people think they’re one and the same, but as you’ll find out, it’s not the case at all. An Introduction To SIP Also known as Session Initiated Protocol, SIP is a timeless technology that makes communication through the internet possible. The main thing it does is create signals to start different points of online messaging. Other protocols are used on top of it, but you can think of it as the foundations of a house – although you also need other materials to complete the whole thing, it’s the one thing that any house cannot be without. It doesn’t do anything with the information created during the process but just uses it as a signal to send media, time, and session description. An Introduction To VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is nothing but a broad term to refer to the action of calling using the internet instead of through wired phones or cellphones. Because it’s made through the internet, you need an internet connection to make this happen. That’s it, really. The intricacy that users are more concerned about is its two types: Fixed You can only get this type if there's a physical location associated with it. For example, if your office is in Australia, your VoIP number should also have a Australian area code. But make no mistake, this would still require the internet. Advantages It’s more credible. Because you need to submit additional requirements to prove your ties to a physical location, scammers can't use it without giving themselves up. Stealing your number is practically impossible. You need your own cables to get it. So unless the scammer sneaks into your office to falsely represent your company, it’s not going to happen. Disadvantages The processing time is longer. Your chosen service provider would need to verify any information you submit, which will take some time. International calls will be relatively more expensive. Because you can’t get a number outside your area, calling other places may incur additional charges. Non-fixed This is what people normally mean when they think of VoIP. You don’t need to provide proof of location, unlike with the first type. Advantages Get a number from any country. As long as the number’s available, you can get it. Just pay for it, and you’re good. It’s easier to get. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll be glad to know that you can get it right away with no hassle. Disadvantages A scammer may use your number. Once you drop a number, someone else is free to get it after some time. If you’re unlucky, that someone else would use it and pretend to be you. It’s used for fraud more often. And this means it’s not as trusted as the first type. What Are Their Biggest Differences? If you’re still confused about how they’re different, this would help further clarify matters. They’re different on these things: Scope VoIP is a much broader term that applies to anything that refers to communicating online. If it’s a tree, SIP would be one of its branches. Types Of Media Supported From the name itself, VoIP only supports voice communication. If you want to access other modes such as text, fax, and voice, you’ll need SIP. Devices Used VoIP phones need a computer in order to be functional. Meanwhile, SIP only needs a modem. So you can think of VoIP as something closer to the normal phone you already know. How It Handles Traffic The process itself is fairly complicated, but what you have to remember is SIP follows individual processing. Meanwhile, VoIP processes in bulk. The latter comes with a risk of suboptimal performance because everything practically goes through one central channel. So when it becomes overwhelmed, the processing time gets longer, thus affecting the quality of calls made. But it comes with the advantage of being more secure. VoIP doesn’t need to have SIP because other protocols may be used instead. But what you decide should be determined by your organization’s priorities and security considerations to have the best results possible. Additional: The Role of Communication in Employee Retainment 5 Reasons Why Having Software for Your Business Matters Balancing the Books with Outsourcing – Virtual Receptionists

Top 10 Computer Security Mistakes

So you’ve gone out and purchased a brand new laptop, and now you have plans of using that laptop in the workplace. Well, for anyone who has experience running a company, knows that laptops can be conduits for spyware and viruses. Once data is being processed, thought must go into who is capable of stealing it, where they might store it, how they could archive it, and how valuable the data is to the company. Well, if you want to ensure you’re never in any unfortunate positions, then I suggest you check out my list of common mistakes most new computer users make. 1. Connecting to an Unsecure Network If the network is open, then it should be fine for you to connect to, right? I wouldn’t say that. You should always be suspicious of open networks, especially ones at hotels and airports. If it’s possible for you to connect to a network without using a password or agreeing to any terms, then there is a good chance you could be leading yourself into a trap. 2. Opening Attachments from Unsolicited Emails You want to check the content of your emails, if anything in it looks suspicious, or if the sender is asking you to do something that you do not feel comfortable doing then there is a good chance its spam. Check the sender, if you’re not familiar with the person, then try searching for the email on any of the major search engines. If you’re at your workplace, then consider contacting your email administrator for verification on whether or not the email is spam. 3. Using Common Passwords While the vast majority of people are wise enough not to fall into this trap, especially when signing up for services online, there are still many work colleagues that have a knack for using basic passwords, like their birthday or their username123. You’ll want to re-work your password by combining uppercase letters, numbers and uncommon symbols. If you chose London as your password, then you could rejig it to something like L0nd3N. Even though it isn’t the most complex password, it would be much more difficult for a hacker to guess. 4. Not Making Backups When it comes to archiving files, many end users make the common mistake of backing up data too infrequently. I can see how the lazy approach can be more comforting, but if your company files are that important to you, then you’ll want to ensure that they are backed up as often as possible, using a number of different mediums, such as the cloud, external hard drives, etc. 5. Leaving Your Webcam Enabled It’s a great idea for you to familiarise yourself with your webcam so that you can determine when it’s disabled or active. Hackers are very adept at hacking into your webcam, especially in the workplace, and they can even record meetings if you’re not careful. Covering the webcam with tape won’t do much since audio can still be recorded; it’s for this reason why you’ll want to ensure its disabled when not in use. 6. Searching the Deep Web The deep web, unfamiliar to most internet users, is the shady part of it, not accessible from the major search engines like Bing and Google. Work systems should be used for work only, there are many deep websites out there that will stick malicious code onto your computer and use that to track whatever you say and do. 7. Assuming Your Hard Drive Will Never Fail In this world, there are two different kinds of computer users, those who have lost computer files and those who will eventually lose computer files. You want to back things up as often as you can. You also want to think about alternative media, like using an external hard drive to save certain confidential data onto it. 8. Using a Suspicious Thumb Drive Everyone needs a place to store their work documents. If you’re in the office, it’s not uncommon for you to find a thumb drive lying around. My advice is not to use it, especially if you don’t know where it came from, that’s because there’s a good chance it could have a virus on it. 9. Using the Same Password across Accounts It’s very important that you make a habit of changing your passwords. It’s not uncommon for end-users to keep the same password for many years. That is something you do not want to do. For business-critical, sensitive data, you want to ensure that all passwords are changed at least once every three months. Make sure all your accounts have different passwords. Having multiple passwords for your many accounts reduces the chances of all your accounts being compromised. With the increasing amount of cyber-attacks, the age of your password, along with its length and complexity are far more important today. 10. Agreeing to Install Anti-Virus Software Have you ever visited a website that asked you whether or not you wanted to check your system for a virus? You may have asked how or why it knew you needed a virus scan. In most cases these prompts to install antivirus software are in fact attempts to install malicious software on your system. Read Also : Would Your E-commerce Website Pass The Cybersecurity Test? Here Are 3 Things You Could Be Doing Wrong How To Securely Wipe Your Confidential Data From A Hard Drive

Waterjet Vs. Laser Cutting: Which Is Worth The Hype?

Waterjet Vs Laser Cutting:

What Is Laser Cutting?

Laser Cutter Materials:

What Is Waterjet Cutting?

Waterjet Cutting Materials:

Level of Waste from Waterjet vs Laser Cutting:

What’s the Cost to Purchase and Operate a Waterjet vs Laser Cutter?

Final Thoughts:

Benefits of Cloud-Based Quality Management Systems

Riding The Wave Of Popularity: 7 Most Popular IT Buzzwords and What They Really Mean

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Technologies For Creating A Startup Idea

How to Download Facebook Videos on Android?

7 Rules of Effective Ecommerce Web Design

The 10 WordPress Plugins Every Sucessful Blogger Uses

Follow Us

Recent

Cybersecurity Threats In Asset Tracking And Strategies To Mitigate

How To Invest In Yourself For A Stress-Free Daily Life

How Many Jobs Are Available in Consumer Services in 2024?

Top 9 Signs You Will Get The Job After Interview

Related

How To See Someone’s Imessages Without Their Phone

SIP Vs. VOIP, What’s The Difference?: An Introduction On The Two Technologies And Their Main Differences To Choose What’s Best For You

Top 10 Computer Security Mistakes

Waterjet Vs. Laser Cutting: Which Is Worth The Hype?

Waterjet Vs Laser Cutting:

What Is Laser Cutting?

Laser Cutter Materials:

What Is Waterjet Cutting?

Waterjet Cutting Materials:

Level of Waste from Waterjet vs Laser Cutting:

What’s the Cost to Purchase and Operate a Waterjet vs Laser Cutter?

Final Thoughts:

Share this Article

Benefits of Cloud-Based Quality Management Systems

Riding The Wave Of Popularity: 7 Most Popular IT Buzzwords and What They Really Mean

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related