New waterjet innovations

An A-Z of selected new waterjet cutting systems, technologies and innovations for sheet metal manufacturers come under the spotlight.

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Waterjet cutting is a mechanical cutting method which uses an ultra-high-pressure pump to force water through a small nozzle, creating a high-velocity stream. When mixed with garnet abrasive material, this stream becomes powerful enough to cut through most materials including metals; carbon fibre; ceramics; stone; glass; plastics and more.

Unlike thermal processes, a waterjet cutting system generates no heat. This cold process preserves material integrity, making it a key method for applications requiring clean edges and no heat distortion. There are no distortions in the materials (the material’s properties remain unchanged) and only very minimal edges are left for additional finishing. This means that, in most applications, post-processing is not necessary which not only saves time but also reduces cost. More demanding contours can be made in a very small area.

The waterjet cutting process consists of filtering the water, then transferring it to the appropriate cutting heads using a high-pressure pump with a pressure of several thousand bars. The cutting heads then move over the material according to a predefined cutting program. As the cutting head moves, the concentrated water jet cuts through the material. Depending upon the hardness of the material and the desired cutting quality, additional abrasive is automatically dosed into the water jet.

The technology is very versatile. The same machine system can cut metals, composites and plastics, for example, without extensive tool changes. This makes it particularly attractive for production environments with short runs and rapid changeovers. Five-axis cutting systems have unlocked three-dimensional freedom. Instead of cutting only in 2D planes, operators can now bevel, contour, taper and shape intricate geometries with precision. This means faster setups, fewer secondary operations and cleaner results.

According to analyst Research and Markets, the waterjet cutting machine market size has grown rapidly in recent years and is expected to grow to US$ 2.73 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3%. Major trends in the forecast period include the rising adoption of robotic waterjet cutting systems; growing demand for precision cutting of thick materials; increasing use of abrasive waterjet technology; expansion of waterjet cutting in aerospace applications and a higher focus on cold cutting to avoid heat affected zones. The aerospace industry is expected to be a key market driver.

Selected innovations

AAG (AXYZ Automation Group) offers abrasive waterjet cutting systems that include the X-Series waterjet with the Apex 60 five-axis cutting head, M-series and A-Series waterjets. Its water-only series systems are the H-series, L-series and J-series. Customised models are also possible. The Apex 60 is designed for users who need control over taper and angle, especially when cutting flat materials or moderate bevels. It has tilt capabilities up to 60° for complex 3D designs. The Apex 90 cutting head features a full 90° of tilt and extended Z-axis reach for advanced bevelling, deep weld preparation and cutting into large, pre-formed or fixtured parts

The company’s 105,000-square foot facility in Waterdown, ON, Canada, houses its three brands (AXYZ, WARDJET and CNCSHOP) under one roof. 

ACCURL’s five-axis MAX BP-C Series waterjet cutting system (with 50HP pump) features a MAX 3D five-axis Bevel Cutting Head 2.0, Hypertherm Echion 50 waterjet pumps and an anti-collision system, Collision Protection 2.0. The machine is controlled with an ESA S660 series CNC control unit. The MAX 3D cutter head has five axes (three linear and two rotating). It has been designed for both pure 3D cut and 2D 1/2 cut (flat cut with bevel), without losing 2D (flat) cut functionality. 

In November 2025, ACCURL opened its new Smart Factory at its headquarters in Ma’anshan, eastern China. The investment of approximately €38 million creates a production environment that integrates digital manufacturing, smart technologies and green energy.

ALLFI produces high-pressure components for waterjet cutting as well as high-pressure pumps, modular cutting head systems and robotic waterjet cells (in partnership with IDASA). Bystronic Laser AG transferred the support for Bystronic waterjet machines to ALLFI Group AG, based in Switzerland, from January 2025. 

AALFI’s Quantum SPT™ Quantum NXT™ (electric servo pump) incorporates the core “direct servo” technology first used by NASA for the Space Shuttle programme by replacing obsolete hydraulic cylinders with new, compact, efficient and controllable servo linear actuators. Its DynaMAX and DaraMax are predictive waterjet pumps.

BFT GmbH offers energy-saving, high-pressure pumps and components for waterjet cutting applications. It has showcased two high-pressure pumps in its EcoTron range – the 40.37+ and the 40.45+. It also includes an Ecotron; Servotron; Vectron; Hytron; Hypertron and Jetron range of 4000 bar high-pressure pumps. 

In April 2025, the Austrian company opened new headquarters (new storage system and 2000m2 production hall). It now supplies the U.S. market with an office in Merrillville, Indiana.

Luxembourg manufacturer CERATIZIT (part of the Plansee Group) has three distinct HyproJET product lines; the abrasive jet focusing tubes are designed for all modern waterjet cutting head systems and support automatic centring during mounting. It also produces wear products out of variable carbide configurations (such as plungers for high pressure pumps; splash discs; catcher cups; inlet guides; wear plates; restrictor shields and inlet tubes). 

CMS Metal Technology offers a wide range of complete three- and five-axis waterjet cutting systems and pressure intensifiers. Models include the Tecnocut Smartline, Tecnocut Proline, Tecnocut Aquatec and Tecnocut Waterspeedy S. 

“The CMS JD5plus five-axis head is the most effective way of expanding the application range of a waterjet from 2D to 3D cutting immediately, safely and with lower tooling times. The combination of the Plug&Play prober, safe axis control and abrasive filtration designed for challenging environments maximize uptime and cutting quality, while guaranteeing a return on investment right from the first jobs,” sai

Its digital solutions include CMS Connect, an IoT platform that is integrated with the latest-generation CMS machines, and CMS Active, its operator HMI interface, as well as the Eye CMS console. CMS has also developed the Tecnocut e-pump, a hybrid pressure intensifier. Other models include the Easypump and Jetpower Evo.

ConSus - ANT Stationary Cutting Solutions GmbH, a division of the ANT Group, has over 20 years of experience in mobile Water Abrasive Suspension (WAS) cutting. The central or decentralised processing of 80% or more of the abrasive with ANT's Abrasive Recycling Unit (ARU) significantly reduces consumption costs, it told ISMR. A continuous suspension jet, it said, provides a ‘more efficient cutting performance at lower pressure compared to conventional Water Abrasive Injection (WAIS) systems.’

Eckert AS Sp. z o.o. is a Polish manufacturer of CNC cutting machines, working across four technologies (laser, plasma, oxyfuel and waterjet cutting) or combined technologies (including drilling). 

Its Opal Waterjet cutting system features a wide range of equipment options, including a powerful ProX 3D cutting head. It is suitable for most materials up to 250mm in thickness. Its Opal Waterjet Combo is a patented, rapid CNC waterjet for plasma and waterjet cutting. It is optionally configurable with 2D and 3D cutting heads, depending upon the application, for materials up to 250mm thick. Equipped with the Pro-X 3D waterjet cutting head, it combines the advantages of ultra-fast plasma cutting and precision waterjet cutting.

The Taper X 3D tilt-head waterjet support in the Eckert range is even faster for waterjet machines in its line-up. The Taper X 3D is equipped with a pneumatic contact ring that automatically adjusts the cutting height to the thickness of the workpiece. Once the cutting head is set at the correct height, the adjustment ring moves to the park position, preventing damage when cutting at an angle. Eckert’s customers can order a waterjet cutting machine, Opal Waterjet or Opal Waterjet Combo, equipped with the Taper X 3D tilting waterjet head.

To read the rest of this article in the May 2026 issue of ISMR, see https://joom.ag/nAKd/p46