Waterjet Cutting

Citiwest Glass uses an Abrasive Waterjet Cutter. The cutter is connected to a high-pressure water pump where the water is ejected from the nozzle, cutting through the glass by spraying it with the jet of high-speed water and a gritty additive known as Garnet.

An important benefit of the water jet is the ability to cut material without interfering with its inherent structure, as there is no "heat-affected zone" (HAZ). Minimizing the effects of heat allows metals, float glass and stone to be cut without harming or changing intrinsic properties.

Citiwest Waterjet cutting is controlled by CAD (Computer Aided Design) DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) or DWG (Drawing) files. These can be uploaded directly from the customer or programed remotely or locally at the machine itself (refer below).

Citiwest’s waterjet cutter is also capable of producing intricate cuts in material as the kerf, or width, of the cut is in the range of 0.04″ to 0.05″ (1.016 to 1.27 mm). These small jets can permit small details in a wide range of applications.