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Changes for page Desktop Waterjet Cutting

Last modified by Zaara Hashmy on 2026/04/13 18:09
From version 3.2
edited by Zaara Hashmy
on 2026/03/02 19:08
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version 15.1
edited by Zaara Hashmy
on 2026/03/30 19:23
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

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1 1  |=(((
2 -{{{WAZER Desktop Waterjet Cutting Machine}}}
2 +(((
3 +WAZER Desktop Waterjet Cutting Machine
4 +)))
3 3  
6 +(((
4 4  [[Specs>>https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/wazer-desktop-waterjet-cutter-machine/sk/MVN5VKM5]]
8 +)))
5 5  )))|=Working Area
6 6  (LxW)|=(% style="width: 376px;" %)Max Allowable Working Pressure|=(% style="width: 307px;" %)Max Working Flow Rate
7 7  |[[image:WazerPhoto.png||alt="omtechaf3555.jpeg" width="200"]]|(((
8 8  305 mm x 460 mm
9 9  
10 -(13" x 19" in)
14 +(12" x 18" in)
11 11  )))|(% style="width:376px" %)(((
12 12  4,600 psi
13 13  
14 -
15 15  (317 bar)
16 16  )))|(% style="width:307px" %)0.45 GPM
17 -(1.7 L/min)
18 -\\(at 4,000 psi)
20 +(1.7 L/min).  (at 4,000 psi)
19 19  
20 -While CO2 laser cutters can cut a variety of materials, we stock sheets of Acrylic and Birch Plywood in 12x24 inch sizes, and 1/8" and 1/4" thicknesses. Keep in mind these dimensions are nominal, and may not be precisely accurate.
21 21  
22 -== ==
23 23  
24 24  = About the Waterjet =
25 25  
26 -[[Waterjet cutting>>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter]] is the process of using a high pressure jet of water to cut a material.  --laser to vaporize a material, so that the laser beam cuts through the material. When this is combined with a CNC tool head and both power and speed are balanced properly, this process allows the user to create flat parts from sheets of material, using 2D CAD drawings.--
26 +[[Waterjet cutting>>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter]] is the process of using a high pressure jet of water to cut a material. 
27 27  
28 28  The waterjet has a hydraulic power output of 820 W. There are a variety of materials that the waterjet can cut, example of allowed materials include acrylic, agate, aluminum, borosilicate, brass, carbon fiber, ceramic tile, copper, gabbro, fused glass, graphite, granite, HDPE, marble, memory foam, mild steel, neoprene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyurethane, porcelain tile, silicone, spring steel, stained glass, stainless steel, titanium, and tool steel. Materials that are water soluble or shatter under high pressure are not suitable for waterjet cutting.
29 29  
30 -**Advantages: (Needs to be edited still)**
30 +**Advantages:**
31 31  
32 -* Laser cutting tool heads never touch the material, leave fairly clean cuts, and are highly accurate and repeatable.
33 -* Laser cutting is far faster than manual cutting of the material, especially with repeated cuts in bulk materials.
34 -* Laser cutting allows for very small and intricate designs, which would be difficult or impossible with traditional cutting tools.
35 -* Laser cutting allows for much more efficient material usage than hand cutting in many cases.
32 +* Waterjet cutting is a cold cutting process, meaning there is no heat-affected zone (HAZ), so the material’s mechanical and microstructural properties remain unchanged.
33 +* It can cut a wide variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, composites, glass, and polymers, making it extremely versatile.
34 +* It allows for thicker material cutting compared to many other methods (including laser cutting).
36 36  
37 -**Disadvantages: (needs to be edited still) **
36 +**Disadvantages: **
38 38  
39 -* Our CO2 lasers can't cut metals, or materials that reflect/poorly absorb its wavelength at powers below 130W.
40 -* Laser cutters create a fine cutting spot size by focusing the laser through a lens, and as a result, cuts can never be completely perpendicular to the material.
41 -* In most cases, CO2 lasers have difficulty penetrating cleanly through materials greater than 1/4 inch thick.
38 +* Waterjet cutting is generally** **slower than laser cutting, especially for thinner materials.
39 +* There can be a taper (slight angle) in the cut, especially in thicker materials, affecting edge perpendicularity.
42 42  
43 43  = Software and Usage Instructions =
44 44  
45 -== Opening WazerCam ==
43 +Here is the link to the **[[How to Use WazerCam>>https://wiki.rapidprototypingstudio.com/xwiki/bin/view/How%20to%20Use%20WazerCam/]]** page, where you can learn how to use the software that tells the laser how to cut your part.
46 46  
47 -Open WazerCam website, [[WazerCam>>https://wam.wazer.com/wazercam]] , and enter the following login information.
45 += Machine Setup =
48 48  
49 -**Username:** RPSpublic
47 +== Turning Machine On ==
50 50  
51 -**Password:** RPSpublic
49 +1. Place SD card with part file into the right side of the wazer jet machine. **(SD cards are not provided)**
50 +1. Twist the E-Stop button to where it releases, the screen should begin to turn on.
51 +1. Check that the button on the bottom right of the machine is set to "On" (if screen is still not turning on, consult a staff member)
52 52  
53 -== File Import ==
53 +== Setting Up ==
54 54  
55 -Files uploaded must be in .dxf or .svg file types. Multiple files can be added at once using the "+" and "-" buttons.
55 +1. On the starting screen there will be two options, "Select Cut File" and "Setup & Maintenance". Press the OK button to Select the Select Cut File option.
56 +1. Scroll down until the cursor is next to the file you created earlier, and hit OK
57 +1. Loosen the Nozzle securing knob, pull the nozzle up, and retighten the nozzle securing knob, press OK to home the nozzle
58 +1. Fill the grit hopper on the left side of the machine, hit OK
59 +1. Check to make sure the blue water valve is in line with the vertical pipe, hit OK
60 +1. Secure the material to the cut bed using the screws and a screwdriver, hit OK
61 +1. Now that the arrow keys can be used to move the nozzle over the material, remove the plastic cover off of the cutting head.
62 +1. Loosen the nozzle securing knob, and place the tab side of the plastic cover underneath the nozzle.
63 +1. Lower the nozzle until it makes contact with the plastic tab, and tighten the nozzle securing knob and place the plastic cover back on top of the cutting head. Hit OK.
64 +1. The next screen will have several options. Before doing anything else, **move the origin to the location of your choosing**
65 +1*. Move Origin - allows you to move the origin for the program to a location of your choosing. **DO THIS FIRST.**
66 +1*. Cut - sends you to the next screen where you must press the Start button to begin cutting.
67 +1*. Dry Run - Follows the exact cutting path of the program without firing the waterjet.
68 +1*. Check Extents - Outlines the bounding box of the area being cut
69 +1*. Restart cut - if the cut fails or stops in the middle, this will restart the program in the Dry Run state and will allow you to resume the cut at any point along the program.
70 +1*. Cancel - sends you back to the starting screen.
56 56  
57 -== Setting Scale and Positioning ==
72 +== Run Part ==
58 58  
59 -The following metrics can be adjusted within WazerCam:
74 +***You must remain with the machine for the entirety of the cut* **
60 60  
61 -**Rotation:** the angle which the part needs to be rotated to
76 +* It may be necessary to refill the water in the machine before running. Use the white 3 gallon bucket to pour more water into the tank directly. The water level should sit right below the surface of the bed.
77 +* Monitor the level of the grit while the part is running, if it's running low, machine will automatically stop the cut and shut off.
78 +* It is recommended to keep the hoppers topped off
79 +* If water starts pouring out from under the hoppers, the machine is having a backflow problem, **SHUT IT OFF with the E-Stop and notify RPS Staff.**
62 62  
63 -**X & Y positions:** The top left of the screen represents 0, and all movements are positive. The top left of a selected part can be moved to a specified position.
81 +== Clean Up ==
64 64  
65 -**Scale:** Scale of parts can be changed by any magnitude
83 +1. Remove your part and any excess material from the bed.
84 +1. Clean material and part(s) off by dunking them in the grit catchers/water bucket. **DO NOT wash grit down the sink.**
85 +1. Pull the grit catchers out and drain the excess water back into the tank.
86 +1. Once the majority of the water is drained, dump the grit into the orange 5 gallon bucket
87 +1. Place the grit catchers back into the machine.
66 66  
67 -**Height & Width**: Similar to scale, height and width can be changed independently.
89 +== ==
68 68  
69 -== Materials Selection ==
91 +== Required PPE ==
70 70  
71 -Using the first dropdown menu, select the material category. Using the second dropdown menu, select the specific material you are cutting. If the specific material is not listed, consult an RPS studio staff member. Once category and material type are selected, input the material thickness in either millimeters or inches.
72 -
73 -[[image:1772478411142-741.png||height="281" width="234"]]
74 -
75 -= Machine Setup (not done :0 ) =
76 -
77 -The Long focal length lens in our large-format OMTech laser cutter allows for more efficient cuts in thicker materials. However, this comes at the cost of a slightly large spot size, and thus, less fine engraving abilities.
78 -
79 -Use the table below to input the correct values for your material. Note that for engraving, the thickness does not matter, because it won't cut all the way through. We also have sample engravings at various settings in the RPS if you would like to change the depth or darkness of the engraving. Keep in mind that the depth and color might not be exact, as they depend highly on laser focus and various other environmental parameters that cannot be controlled.
80 -
81 -**Cutting Table**
82 -
83 -|=**Material**|=Speed|=Max Power|=Min Power|=Passes
84 -|1/8" (3 mm) Birch Plywood|45 mm/s|70%|35%|1
85 -|1/4" (6 mm) Birch Plywood|15 mm/s|70%|35%|1
86 -|1/16" (1.5 mm) Cast Acrylic|90 mm/s|70%|20%|2
87 -|1/8" (3 mm) Cast Acrylic|55 mm/s|70%|20%|2
88 -|1/4" (6 mm) Cast Acrylic|20 mm/s|70%|70%|2
89 -|1/16" (1.5 mm) Buna N Rubber|80 mm/s|70%|20%|1
90 -
91 -**Engraving Table**
92 -
93 -|=**Material**|=Speed|=Max Power|=Min Power|=Passes
94 -|Birch Plywood|475 mm/s|50%|35%|1
95 -|Cast Acrylic|550 mm/s|20%|20%|1
96 -
97 -Settings can be changed within Lightburn or on the physical OMTech Laser in the highlighted portion on the display screen. Please consult with a technician before changing speeds and power on the machine.
98 -
99 -
100 -[[image:omtech12.jpg||alt="https://wiki.rapidprototypingstudio.com/learning/omtech12.jpg" height="40%" width="40%"]]
101 -
102 -== Dremel Laser Settings ==
103 -
104 -All settings are preset within the Dremel's IP address site.
105 -
106 -== Unsafe Materials for Laser Cutting ==
107 -
108 -* ABS
109 -* Beryllium oxide
110 -* Carbon
111 -* Chlorinated plastics
112 -* Coated carbon fiber
113 -* Coated materials
114 -* Epoxy-based or phenolic resins
115 -* Fiberglass
116 -* Fluorine-based plastics:
117 -** PTFE (Teflon)
118 -** Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)
119 -* Galvanized metal
120 -* HDPE (High-Density Poly Ethylene)
121 -* Leather, Artificial or Chrome tanned
122 -* Materials containing:
123 -** Astatine
124 -** Bromine
125 -** Chlorine
126 -** Fluorine
127 -** Formaldehyde
128 -* Wood containing:
129 -** Flame-retardants
130 -** Halogens
131 -** Iodine
132 -* Wood that has been:
133 -** Coated
134 -** Fumigated
135 -** Pressure-treated
136 -** Stained
137 -* Mirrored surfaces
138 -* Nylon
139 -* Painted material
140 -* Varnished materials
141 -* Particleboard, paneling
142 -* Polycarbonate
143 -* Polychloroprene (CR or chloroprene rubber, marketed under the brand name Neoprene)
144 -* Polypropylene foam
145 -* Polypropylene sheet
146 -* Polystyrene foam
147 -* Polyurethane
148 -* Polyurethane foam
149 -* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
150 -* POM Delrin/acetyl
151 -* Rubber
152 -* Styrofoam
153 -
154 -== Post Processing ==
155 -
156 -**Required PPE** for woods and acrylic:
157 -
158 -* None
159 -
160 -Once the job has concluded, allow the fumes to be vented for a minimum of 10 seconds. Please note that woods will have charring which is not harmful but may transfer to your hands or anything else it touches. If desired, you may sand the wood with the sandpaper we have in stock or use a sander. For acrylic sheets, peel off the protective film once ready for personal/project use.
161 -
162 -**Required PPE** for rubber:
163 -
164 -* Latex or Nitrile gloves
165 -
166 -[[image:ppe_gloves.png||height="100"]]
167 -
168 -Once the job has concluded, allow the fumes to be vented for a minimum of 30 seconds. Please note that rubber materials will char as well and it is best practice to wear gloves while handling them. Rinse the rubber cuts under water to wash off as much charred edges as possible.
169 -
170 -If you need assistance, RPS staff are always present to help with advice! **Please ensure that you return hand tools to their proper locations, and turn off the machine once use is complete.**
93 +* Close toed shoes
94 +* Eye glasses/goggles
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