What materials cannot be cut by a water jet cutter?

The waterjet cutter slices through iron plates and detonator tubes with ease, surpassing other cutting tools. Once hailed as omnipotent, is the waterjet cutter truly all-powerful?

What could possibly challenge its dominance in the cutting industry? And is there anything that a waterjet cutter cannot cut through?

1. Thickness Matters

Air resistance can slow down certain objects during movement in water, and waterjet is no exception. After a certain distance, the water will slow down or even disperse. At that point, you might question what can be cut, and not just that alone.

2. Diamonds

Waterjets struggle a bit with the hardest natural substance. Cutting diamonds is not a problem if you disregard time and wear, but it’s extremely cost-inefficient, akin to sawing a tree with a small knife. You wouldn’t say a knife can chop down a tree, right?

3. Chemicals that Decompose in Water

Waterjet cutting will inevitably cause water to be cut. If the water decomposes/dissolves the chemical, it’s like letting a wolf into a sheep’s pen. The final result is chaos. Therefore, you should first consider the right cutting method for different types of cuts.

4. Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is different from regular glass. Once shattered, it easily fractures completely, ending in blunt-angled glass fragments. When cutting tempered glass with a waterjet, the tempered glass will shatter instantly. The only method is to cut the glass before tempering and treating it.