An increasing number of industries are finding titanium the best material for the job. You can find titanium parts inside an airplane or a car. And titanium implants might be present in your teeth. This versatile use of the metal is due to its toughness and longevity. 

However, being an extremely strong material, titanium is difficult to cut. Even if you manage to cut the metal, carving complicated designs out of it can be quite a challenge. Sure, there are thermal techniques like a laser. But the heat from those machines might distort the titanium. So what’s the solution? It’s a waterjet cutting titanium. 

You might have heard of the technique but haven’t implemented it since you don’t understand it well. No worries; we are here to educate you on the matter.

Can A Waterjet Cut Titanium?

Titanium is a tougher metal to cut compared to steel and aluminum. So, you might wonder if waterjet cutting titanium is possible. The answer is yes. You can easily cut titanium with a water jet while maintaining accuracy and precision. 

Waterjet combines highly pressurized water and abrasive particles to cut titanium. The pressure can rise to 6000 bars or more, depending on the target type. You can easily cut through 8-inch thick Titanium blocks with a water jet. 

When you cut titanium with a water jet, you preserve the quality of the material. Because, unlike thermal cutting techniques, there is no heat damage to the block. 

This makes waterjet one of the most preferable methods to cut titanium. Because the metal is precious, you can’t afford to lose bits of it during the cutting process. 

How Does Waterjet Cutting Titanium Work?

A water jet cuts Titanium under the guidance of CNC. This component dictates the path of the water jet according to its programming. As a result, the water jet can cut out precise shapes and designs from the Titanium block. 

The cutting machine has a cutting table and a gantry. You will mount the Titanium piece on the table. A catcher tank with this table collects the used water from the jet. Meanwhile, the gantry maintains the position and movement of the jet’s nozzle. 

A powerful electric motor drives the high-pressure pump to create a water jet capable of cutting through titanium. 

Meanwhile, memory (internal or external) and CAD software store the design to be cut. A hydraulic or direct drive pressure intensifier increases the water jet’s power to thousands of bars. 

The water jet’s nozzle has a jewel orifice that can withstand extreme forces. It also has a mixing tube, guard, and valve. Together they combine high-pressure water with abrasives and direct it toward the target.  

The nozzle’s jewel orifice can be 0.1-0.5 mm. You can adjust it according to your intended speed and the target’s thickness. 

What Types Of Titanium Can Be Cut With A Waterjet

Waterjet cutting titanium works for various types of metal. Different industries have unique requirements for Titanium types. So, it’s essential that the water jet machine is compatible with them all. 

• Grade-1 pure Titanium (low oxygen content and poor tensile strength)
• Grade-2 commercial titanium (moderate oxygen content and tensile strength)
• Grade-3 pure Titanium (high oxygen content and used in aircraft) 
• Grade-4 commercial titanium (the strongest type with the highest oxygen content)
• Alpha type Titanium Alloy
• Beta type Titanium Alloy 
• Alpha-Beta Titanium Alloy 

Applications Of Waterjet Cutting Titanium

Being a high-quality, durable metal, titanium is used across various industries. These include jewelry, medical, aerospace, marine, etc. Find out how these industries are applying waterjet cutting titanium. 

Jewellery

The demand for Titanium jewelry is always high. It’s an excellent way to own some precious material. Plus, titanium jewelry is beautiful and long-lasting. 

One of the major challenges of producing this jewelry is its precise and intricate designs. With waterjet cutting titanium, manufacturers are tackling that challenge effectively. 

Titanium is an extremely hard metal to cut. Even if you manage to cut it, thermal techniques can distort the results. Those techniques also result in significant wastage.

Manufacturers can easily overcome this problem by cutting the titanium with a water jet. Plus, they save time on post-cutting finishes since no heat-affected zone exists. 

Medical Industry 

The medical industry relies on titanium for implants and specialized surgical tools. Both of these require a high degree of precision. In some cases, they also require customization. 

Without quick and accurate cutting techniques, making these implants available on time would be difficult. Waterjet cutting titanium has made that possible. 

Due to titanium’s lightweight and resilient nature, it is the ideal material for manufacturing implants for the human body. These include hip replacement, spinal fusion devices, dental implants, etc. 

Such implants demand high levels of accuracy. A minor deviation from the design can result in treatment failure. 

Waterjet allows cutting out these implants fast while adhering to precise medical specifications. Also, patients often require highly complex customized implants- extremely difficult to produce without water jet cutting. 

The no-heat technique ensures that the medical-grade titanium doesn’t alter or lose its quality during cutting. Similarly, waterjet cutting makes the production of surgical tools easier.

Since waterjet reduces cutting and manufacturing costs, it can make healthcare less expensive.

Aerospace Engineering 

Aircraft greatly benefit from the use of titanium. The metal makes the planes stronger, meanwhile reducing their weight. 

However, cutting titanium to produce the various parts of the aircraft is a major challenge. Improper techniques can warp the metal resulting in faulty parts and unsafe aircraft. A non-thermal computer-controlled cutting method can save the day in this case. 

Manufacturers can use waterjet cutting to forge titanium turbine blades and various engine components with optimal accuracy. These parts translate to the aircraft’s better performance and safety. 

Also, heavy-duty aircraft often require emergency replacements. The Waterjet cutter’s versatility and speed enable aerospace engineers to perform these replacements quickly. 

Automotive 

The automotive industry constantly looks for the next lighter and more durable material. Titanium fulfills those requirements. 

However, cutting them into precise automobile parts has always been difficult and time-consuming. Here, the water jet method can be of great help. 

You can create excellent corrosion-resistant car parts with a perfect strength-to-weight ratio using water jet cutting. 

As a result, there can be faster and better cars that stay in service for longer times. The accuracy of the cutting process also increases the safety of these vehicles. 

Also, replacing car parts is often challenging for owners and repair shops. The model’s parts may have been discontinued. Or, the available parts don’t fit with the old car for some reason. 

Waterjet cutting titanium can solve this by forging customized car parts quickly. All you need to do is upload the specifications to the computer. 

Chemical Industry

The chemical process industries require the handling of harsh and corrosive substances. And the resilient nature of titanium makes it the ideal material to take on these challenges. 

Therefore, heat exchangers, reactors, vessels, pipes, and various other components of the chemical industry are made from titanium. 

Waterjet cutting titanium allows manufacturers to build precise machinery for the job. For instance, heat exchangers control heat transfer in various chemical reactions. 

If the dimensions and design of the machine are slightly off, it can affect the quality of the product. Waterjet cutting prevents that from happening. 

Proper reactors and vessels are essential to handle corrosive substances safely. Waterjet cutting titanium ensures precise dimensions of these vessels. Thus, it enables proper sealing and safe containment of the chemicals. 

Advantages Of Waterjet Cutting Titanium

Most manufacturers use waterjet cutting titanium due to the superior precision it provides. The method also ensures little to no wastage. Another advantage of this technique is the opportunity to take on challenging designs and cuts. 

Preserves Material Quality 

The heat and chemical-based cutting techniques pose a serious problem for the titanium they cut. The heat and chemicals used in these processes can alter the natural and much-desired integrity of the material. Chemicals can react with the titanium and contaminate it. Meanwhile, heat can distort or oxidize the metal. 

As a result, titanium might lose its strength, resilience, and biocompatibility. Consequently, the resulting jewelry, medical implant, or automotive parts you made from the titanium will be low-quality. 

Water jet cutting solves this issue. In this technique, only water and non-reactive abrasive particles do the cutting. No heat or chemicals are involved and therefore, there is no chance of distortion or contamination. And so the titanium can retain its original quality. 

Fast And Efficient Cutting 

The faster you cut the titanium, the larger your production numbers are. Water jet cutting makes that possible meanwhile minimizing waste. Also, you are not compromising speed for quality and precision. 

Manufacturers are often on a tight schedule in industries like aerospace and automotive. They have to fulfill large orders in a lesser amount of time. The speed and accuracy of water jet cutting ensure the products reach the consumers on schedule. 

The reduced cutting time translates to less labor and machine hours. That means the manufacturer gets to save a significant amount of energy and money during the production process. And that ultimately contributes to their overall profit. 

One-stop Solution 

Waterjet cutting can become a one-stop solution in your workshop. Firstly, the water jet can cut through all grades of titanium. You can also work with various kinds of alloys using this machine. Secondly, water jets can cut other materials like wood, plastic, glass, etc. 

An aerospace or automotive parts manufacturer doesn’t only need to cut titanium. They must also shape glass, plastic, or wood in different cases. Having to set up different cutting stations for each material would cost them space, time, and effort. Water jet cutting helps the situation by becoming a one-stop solution for them all. 

Easy Waste Disposal 

A major problem with cutting titanium at an industrial level is waste management. The traditional techniques produce toxic fumes, dust, and various byproducts when you cut the metal. The heat or blades used in this cutting process are the reason for producing such waste. 

In comparison, waterjet cutting titanium uses a pressurized water stream and abrasives. So, there’s no chance of fumes or dust. The residue at the end of the cutting session is only water and abrasives- an easily manageable waste.

The reduced waste saves the industries money and time on waste disposal costs. Because getting rid of hazardous waste is expensive and complicated, it requires specialized facilities and trained staff. Waterjet cutting minimizes the need for that. 

Low Maintenance Cost 

A water jet cutter is one of the most low-maintenance machines. With normal cutters, you need to worry about blades and coolants. Those machines require new blades after heavy-duty sessions. Plus, you have to buy coolant regularly. With a water jet cutter, you only require water and abrasives- which are cheaper and more manageable. 

In traditional cutting machines, Coolants are essential. These liquids dissipate heat and enhance the life and performance of the tool. In contrast, a water jet cutter doesn’t need coolant since the high-pressure water stream simultaneously as the cutter and the coolant.

Similarly, water jet cutters don’t require blades like sawing or milling. The blades in these machines wear out over time and, therefore, routinely require replacement. These replacements eventually add up and increase production costs. A water jet doesn’t require blades, and the water and abrasives that do the cutting are recyclable. 

Tips And Precautions For Waterjet Cutting Titanium

Cutting titanium with a water jet is an effective and time-saving process. Use proper abrasives, cutting speeds, and fixture systems to make the most out of this method. Learn about these in more detail. 

Using Proper Abrasives 

Titanium is one of the toughest materials known to man. So, you need the hardest and sharpest abrasives to cut this metal. Garnet and aluminum oxide abrasive can be an excellent choice here. These abrasives have a hardness of 7-9 on the Mohs scale. 

It is also important that the abrasives have good fracture toughness (3.5-4.5). This ensures that the abrasive particles will not crack under extreme water pressure. 

The shape of the abrasives is also important. You need a sharp and angular-shaped abrasive. You can use sphericity, the ratio between the surface area of a sphere versus the particle, to measure the shape. Good abrasives have a sphericity of around 0.5. 

Pressure And Flow rate 

The cuts won’t be accurate if you don’t use the right pressure and flow rate. You might also end up wasting material and damaging the machine. Use a high pressure and low flow rate to cut titanium with waterjet for best results. 

You need to increase the pressure to create a high-velocity stream capable enough to cut through titanium. The pressure might range from 1000 to 6000 bars depending on the thickness. The high-pressure stream cuts fast and gives you a better finish. However, the nozzle and the pump might wear out fast. 

A low flow rate is necessary to keep the stream thin and focused. Usually, a rate of 0.5 to 3 liters/minute is adequate for cutting titanium. Such a stream yields lower kerf width and taper. However, the speed of the cutting process can slightly diminish. 

Maintenance and Safety Measures

Water jet cutting can create high noises. Sometimes there might be projectile debris. Therefore, wearing protective gear while working with the machine is mandatory. Wear earplugs, gloves, goggles, etc, to keep yourself safe.

You must also remember that the machine uses an extremely powerful jet of water to cut the materials. So, avoid bringing your finger or other body parts near the stream. Don’t put your hand in the tank while the machine is on. Also, never manually adjust the nozzle while the machine is running. 

Dispose of or recycle the water mixed with debris and abrasives after each use. Otherwise, it might accumulate in the tank and affect the future performance of the water jet cutter. 

Conclusion

Waterjet cutting titanium has the potential to revolutionize the aerospace, medical, and automotive industries. Manufacturers will be able to make more accurate and customized parts faster. Meanwhile, they can minimize waste and labor force. 

Implementing a water jet for cutting titanium in your company is no easy task. You have to find the right type of machine. Plus, there is staff training and an understanding of maintenance and safety protocols. So, why not leave it to the expert at IVYCNC? We will help you to come up with the best waterjet-cutting titanium solution. 

FAQs For Waterjet Cutting Brass

Can you cut titanium with a waterjet?

Yes, titanium can be cut with a water jet. Water jet cutting is a versatile and effective method for cutting a wide range of materials, including metals like titanium. It is a cold cutting process that uses a high-pressure stream of water mixed with abrasive particles to slice through the material without generating heat. 

This helps maintain the integrity of the titanium and prevents heat-related issues during the cutting process.

What is the pressure range for cutting titanium?

The pressure range for cutting titanium with a water jet typically falls between 30,000 to 90,000 pounds per square inch (psi), or approximately 2,068 to 6,205 bar. 

The actual pressure required depends on factors such as the thickness of the titanium material, the desired cutting speed, and the specific water jet cutting equipment being used. Higher pressures are often needed for cutting thicker titanium materials or to achieve faster cutting speeds.

What are the advantages of cutting titanium with a water jet compared to a laser?

The pressure range for cutting titanium with a water jet typically falls between 30,000 to 90,000 pounds per square inch (psi), or approximately 2,068 to 6,205 bar. 

The actual pressure required depends on factors such as the thickness of the titanium material, the desired cutting speed, and the specific water jet cutting equipment being used. Higher pressures are often needed to cut thicker titanium materials or achieve faster cutting speeds.