The home renovation industry depends heavily upon cutting tiles. In the tiling process, it is necessary to make precise cuts to fit irregular spots, such as around electrical outlets. Water jet cutting is a highly effective means of rendering exact and precise cuts to a wide range of tile products.
Traditional methods of tile cutting, such as sawing, run the risk of leaving jagged, uneven lines, resulting in wasted, unusable materials. Contractors looking to avoid making costly mistakes with their tiles and other materials can source out water jet cutting as an efficient means of achieving precise tile cutting results.
Water jet cutting combines the use of water shot at a high velocity with the abrasive cutting properties of non-toxic substances such as garnet or sand. The mixture is applied with compressed air at three times the speed of sound.
Water is jetted through an orifice that is made of diamond, ruby or sapphire and the stream is highly flexible and can be shot on a multi-axis, making it capable of rendering unique and intricate designs, enhancing the beauty of the standard ceramic tile.
Cutting tiles is just one application of water jet cutting relied upon by the renovation industry. Due to its ability to cut durable materials, it is also a commonly used method of cutting marble, stone and granite. These materials are widely used in construction and home renovations. Cutting beautiful marble or granite countertops or tabletops and intricate stone designs can all be done with water jet cutting.
Water jet cutting offers many advantages over other cutting methods:
-
Materials and edges will not distort or warp and there is no burring
-
Is able to achieve high accuracy points – up to +/- 0.001. h.
-
Can cut extremely high thickness levels – 0.002” – 0.12”
-
Little waste is produced on account of the kerf width that allows for tight nesting
-
No heat affected zone – materials will not suffer thermal stress
-
Multi-axis cutting and flexibility – allows for intricate patterns and designs
The abrasive substance used in water jet cutting is what is responsible for the actual cutting process, meaning that water jet cutting does not need to rely on heat. This allows the process to remain available to a wide range of materials that would otherwise melt under intense heat.
Designs for tiles are computer generated and then applied to the tile by a robotic arm, meaning that tile patterns are consistent. This also means that home renovators are able to offer their clients a wider range of tile products and designs.
Furthermore, those who choose water jet cutting methods can rest assured that they are selecting a green friendly industrial cutting method. Water jet cutting does not require the use of toxic substances and the water mixtures can be applied to several products, rather than being disposed of after one use.
Water jet cutting is a dependable method of tile cutting and is used in many industries.