15 Benefits of Using Stainless Steel Distributors for Waterjet Cutting
There are assorted types of companies that have the capabilities to provide stainless steel waterjet cutting or other shaping applications. Many stainless steel distributors, fabrication shops, manufacturers and other suppliers have both the equipment and expertise to perform waterjet cutting. Stainless steel distributors, however, often have advantages over these other types of companies.
The Best Vendor for Stainless Steel Waterjet Cutting
Though fabrication shops might seem the natural choice for stainless steel waterjet cutting, since they specialize in shaping different steels, most specialize in certain industries. Unless the customer wants a specific workpiece that falls under that particular shop’s focus, it’s often better to go with a stainless steel distributor with waterjet cutting capabilities. Manufacturers rather produce end use goods like components, industrial equipment, kitchen appliances or medical apparatus, while other suppliers generally provide raw materials and don’t perform cutting or other shaping operations.
Stainless steel distributors act rather as intermediaries, selling stainless steel to each of these other types of suppliers. Distributors generally also have better knowledge of local regulations, markets and customer preferences. Additionally, most stainless steel distributors these days can help their customers manage inventories and logistics to ensure greater efficiency.
As a principal connection for most customers of stainless steel, distributors generally are also better at addressing customer service issues and resolving problems than other vendors of stainless steel. Distributors have contacts and long-term relationships that enable them to provide customers with lower costs, including for applications like waterjet cutting. Stainless steel distributors are often the best vendors for waterjet cutting or other shaping applications like plasma cutting.
Plasma Cutting vs. Waterjet Cutting of Stainless Steel
There’s more than one way in which to cut stainless steel, with plasma and waterjet cutting stainless steel just two of the methods used. Both these approaches work better than mechanical cutting as they’re quicker and more precise, while also reducing tooling wear. However, each of these techniques offer advantages and limitations.
Waterjet cutting of stainless steel utilizes pressurized water mixed with an abrasive to break down material along a cutting pathway. The waterjet cutter essentially acts as a means of eroding material more quickly. Normally garnet is used as the abrasive material, which is fed through tubing to the water source, which sprays a stream of water with the abrasive through a ceramic nozzle at pressures exceeding 50 thousand psi (0.34474 gigapascals).
The path along which the nozzle moves is controlled by CNC (computer numerical control) software, cutting at speeds that will vary according to the thickness and grade of stainless steel. Waterjet cutting differs from plasma cutting in how it cuts stainless steel. Plasma cutting uses electricity and gas in place of water, relying on pressurized gas rather than the water and abrasives used in waterjet cutting. These gases are heated to the point they become plasma, which melts through stainless steel rapidly enough to produce a clean cut. Gases like argon, nitrogen or oxygen are typically used, but this depends on the thickness of the material.
15 Benefits of Using Distributors for Waterjet Cutting of Stainless Steel
Waterjet cutting of stainless steel has numerous benefits, including high precision and minimal material distortion. Additionally, the fact that the technique uses no heat makes it appropriate for applications where high heat can damage the workpiece. Furthermore, there are advantages when using a stainless steel distributor for waterjet cutting.
Advantages of waterjet cutting by stainless steel distributors include:
- Cold cutting process: Waterjet cutting of stainless steel doesn’t generate heat, so won’t alter properties of the alloy and minimizes the chance of a workpiece becoming discolored, gouged, melted or otherwise distorted, as is the case with plasma cutting.
- Consistency: With certification requirements, stainless steel distributors provide consistent material quality while also enabling easier traceability for recalls.
- Cost-effectiveness: Distributors sell at reduced rates to ensure lower costs than many other stainless steel vendors.
- Customer loyalty: Because of their stronger focus on customer service, stainless steel distributors can help clients improve customer loyalty and satisfaction.
- Customer service: Distributors tend to have better customer service than other vendors of stainless steel, so are better able to provide technical and other support.
- Ecofriendly: As waterjet cutting doesn’t produce any hazardous waste, the process doesn’t negatively affect the environment.
- Expertise: With specialized knowledge about properties like corrosion resistance, formability and machinability of various types of stainless steel, distributors can help customers select the best material for their application.
- Market knowledge: With their marketing capabilities, distributors can help clients reach the right customer base.
- Material selection: Able to source, stock and supply high-quality stainless steel, distributors have wider ranges of steel grades than other vendors so can ensure the right steel is used for the application to a customer’s specifications immediately, reducing lead times.
- Partnerships: For many distributors of stainless steel, waterjet cutting, plasma cutting, laser cutting or even CNC machining is done in-house, though distributors will often partner with trusted vendors that provide different capabilities.
- Precision: Due to the precision of the process, waterjet cutting of stainless steel allows for intricate designs and tight tolerances.
- Relationships: As they’re more customer-oriented, stainless steel distributors can better tailor a workpiece to meet a client’s needs.
- Sales and distribution: Along with a stainless steel distributor’s various capabilities, customers can assist with distribution, marketing and sales.
- Secondary processes: Due to the accuracy achieved by waterjet cutting, stainless steel workpieces require less finishing or other post-processing work.
- Tool wear: As no physical tools are required for waterjet cutting of stainless steel, it’s easier to keep the system operational and generally costs less.
Able to cut a wide selection of stainless steels, waterjet cutting also allows for the shaping of workpieces of varying thicknesses. When comparing waterjet cutting to plasma cutting, the former can cut through thicker workpieces, so this versatility makes this method of shaping stainless steel suitable for more applications.
Limitations with Waterjet Cutting Stainless Steel
As with any process, there are some limits to waterjet cutting. Stainless steels take longer to cut with waterjets than with plasma cutting, which makes them less desirable when there’s a tight deadline. Additionally, it takes a considerable upfront investment for the equipment involved in waterjet cutting, while the abrasives used in the process add an additional and ongoing expense. Further, though waterjet cutting of stainless steel can cut through stainless steel workpieces of varying thicknesses, the process can only be used up to a certain thickness.
Atlantic Stainless: Steel Distributors for Waterjet Cutting
Atlantic Stainless Company Inc. has the capabilities to supply specially fabricated high-temperature stainless steel alloys, including with military specifications. For waterjet cutting of stainless steel, call upon the experts at Atlantic Stainless. Steel distributors for over three decades, Atlantic offers finishing and shaping services for all grades of stainless steel, along with various other shaping and finishing services.
Atlantic Stainless additionally offers the following services:
To learn more about our capabilities, contact the expert stainless steel distributors at Atlantic Stainless.
