PEEK Waterjet Cutting vs. Laser Cutting

What are the differences between peek water jet cutting and peek laser cutting?  Comparing waterjet and laser cutting manufacturing processes is easy enough especially as they support many of the same industries. For waterjet cutting and laser cutting this is true and in their relatively brief history, both had their development in technology grow in the latter half of the 20th century. In cutting PEEK they hold advantages over each other. These differences between PEEK waterjet cutting and PEEK laser cutting do not conclude with one being the best method. Rather these differences highlight their strengths and advantages each has, giving options when considering your next precision project.   To understand the differences between PEEK waterjet and PEEK laser cutting, we need to review their processes on how each would process PEEK material.   Waterjet cutting uses high pressure of water and abrasive powder materials to cut through hard and semi-hard materials.  Abrasive media comes in numerous forms like garnet and aluminum oxide.  The mixture is forced through a nozzle with stream diameter of about .004” mils.  In addition to cutting PEEK waterjet cutting can cut stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, plastics, stone, ceramics, copper and many more.  PEEK Laser Cutting is processed in the following manner:  Ultraviolet laser technology with beam diameters as small as .001” mils or less.  Focused light adjusted by speed of laser travel, the quantity of laser passes, the frequency and other variables.  Laser head does not touch the material.  In addition to laser cutting PEEK, it […]