Waterjet Cutting

Precision cutting without the heat

Traditional cutting methods can distort or wear material at the cut edge. Waterjet cutting avoids that entirely, using a high-pressure stream of water and abrasive material to cut with zero heat-affected zone, so the material keeps its original properties right up to the edge.

Multi-axis capability and consistent tooling mean waterjet pairs seamlessly with our digital die cutting process, turning your CAD file directly into an accurate, custom-shaped part without a hard tool.

Alt text Waterjet Cutting

Why waterjet cutting

Waterjet cuts both hard and soft materials without changing how the material behaves at the edge, useful when a heat-sensitive material or a tight tolerance rules out laser or blade cutting.

It produces complex forms with exact dimensions and a smooth finish, ideal for demanding industrial applications that need a clean edge the first time, with minimal need for secondary processing.

What We Cut With Waterjet Cutting

Precision Component Conversion

Accurate components for aerospace, automotive, and electronics work, with clean cuts and no heat-affected zone to distort tight tolerances.

Industrial Parts Cutting

Large and complex parts cut with clean edges and smooth finishes, minimizing the need for secondary processing.

Custom Gaskets and Seals

High-performance sealing solutions cut to your specifications, from standard gasket sheet stock to less common materials.

Multi-Material Cutting

One process cuts foam, rubber, metals, and composites alike, thick or thin, without switching tooling between materials.

Multi-Layer Manufacturing

Composite and multi-layer materials shaped into high-strength, lightweight components with exact dimensions and a smooth finish.

Prototype Development

No hard tooling required, so a design moves from CAD file to physical prototype quickly, well suited to testing before committing to production.

Materials

Waterjet cutting handles foam, rubber, metals, and composites in one process, from high-durometer neoprene or plastics to low-durometer foams and rubbers, without altering material properties, whether the part calls for a soft, heat-sensitive material or a rigid one a blade or laser can't cut cleanly.

Browse materials for waterjet cutting ›

Industries We Serve

Waterjet-cut parts for these industries, matching the confirmed list already used across our other cutting capabilities.

Why Choose Rapid Die Cut

Advanced Technology

As a fully automated manufacturer, we offer rapid production capabilities, ensuring your parts are delivered quickly and accurately, even for bulk orders.

Production Versatility

We offer rapid prototyping services to bring your concepts to life allowing you, to perfect your designs before deployment to full-scale production scales.

Instant Online Quoting

Our proprietary technology platform seamlessly integrates your specifications into the design process, providing instant updates and ensuring precise control over the final product.

More from Rapid Die Cut

Our automated digital manufacturing platform rapidly reviews your CAD files and identifies the best tool for the job from our 8 industrial cutting technologies.

Adhesive Lamination

CNC Knife Cutting

Creasing and Scoring

Die Cut Tooling

Die Cutting

Digital Cutting

Kiss Cutting

Laser Cutting

Frequently Asked Questions

What is waterjet cutting?

Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water and abrasive material to cut directly from a digital file, no physical die or heat required. It handles both hard and soft materials with a clean edge and no heat-affected zone.

Does waterjet cutting leave a heat-affected zone?

No. Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water and abrasive material rather than heat, so there's no heat-affected zone at the cut edge, the material keeps its original properties right up to the line.

What materials can be cut with a waterjet?

Foam, rubber, plastics and composites can all be waterjet cut in the same process, useful when a job needs a soft, heat-sensitive material and a rigid one within the same production run.

Can waterjet cutting produce custom gaskets and seals?

Yes. Waterjet cutting produces gaskets and seals to your exact specifications from a wide range of sheet materials. Browse gasket sheet materials ›

Can waterjet cutting be used for EMI/EMC shielding gaskets?

Yes. Waterjet's cold-cut process produces clean edges on conductive gasket materials with no heat-affected zone, so shielding performance isn't compromised. Results depend on the exact shielding material and its construction, so our team will confirm fit for your specific gasket before production. Browse EMI/EMC shielding applications ›

Do I need a CAD file to get a waterjet-cut part?

Yes. Waterjet cutting runs from your CAD file. Get started by selecting your desired material, choosing our Cut to Shape service, and walking through the steps to configure your part.

When should I use waterjet instead of laser or CNC knife cutting?

Waterjet is the better choice when a material is heat-sensitive or a mix of hard and soft layers in the same part, since it cuts without generating heat and handles metals as part of its normal range, unlike CNC knife cutting, which is built for soft and semi-rigid materials.

How fast can I get a waterjet-cut prototype?

Because waterjet cutting needs no hard tooling, a design can move from CAD file to physical prototype quickly, well suited to validating a part before committing to production tooling.

What tolerances can I expect from waterjet cutting?

Waterjet cutting runs on roll and sheet stock, so it falls under our standard roll & sheet stock material thickness tolerance: ± 0.005"–0.010", depending on material type and manufacturer.

Optimize Your Product Line with Precision Waterjet Cutting

Precision cutting without the heat

Why waterjet cutting