Waterjet vs. laser, plasma & EDM
No process wins at everything, and any honest manufacturer will tell you so. Here is a fair comparison of the four main industrial cutting methods — where each one is the right tool, and where it isn't.
The four processes, compared.
| Waterjet | Laser | Plasma | EDM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | Almost anything — stone, glass, ceramic, metal, composites, rubber, foam | Mostly metals; some plastics, wood; not reflective metals or stone/glass | Electrically conductive metals only | Electrically conductive metals only |
| Max thickness | Very high — up to ~150 mm (5.9 in) metal, ~100 mm (3.9 in) stone | Thin to medium metal (~25 mm / ~1 in practical for most fiber lasers) | Medium-thick metal (~50 mm / ~2 in) | Limited; slow on thick sections |
| Edge quality | Smooth, square, often ready to use | Clean on thin metal; dross & taper as thickness rises | Rougher, with dross and bevel | Excellent, very fine |
| Heat-affected zone | None — cold cutting, no HAZ | Yes — melts/burns the edge | Yes — significant heat | Small recast layer |
| Warping risk | None | Possible on thin/tall parts | Higher on thin material | Minimal |
| Kerf width | Narrow (~0.8–1.2 mm / 0.03–0.05 in) | Very narrow on thin metal | Wide | Extremely fine (wire) |
| Secondary finishing | Often none | Often needed on thick cuts (deburr, dross) | Usually needed | Rarely |
| Speed | Moderate — wins on range, not raw speed | Fast on thin sheet metal | Fast on thick metal | Slow |
| Typical use | Stone, glass & ceramic; thick or mixed-material work; heat-sensitive parts | High-volume thin sheet-metal production | Fast, rough cutting of structural steel | Precision tooling, dies, intricate metal detail |
Figures are typical industry ranges and vary by machine, power and material. Waterjet thickness figures reflect Rich machine capability: up to 150 mm (5.9 in) aluminum and 100 mm (3.9 in) stone.
When each one is the right call.
Choose waterjet when…
You cut stone, glass, ceramic or mixed materials; you need thick sections; you can't tolerate a heat-affected zone or warping; or you want a square edge with little finishing. Waterjet's advantage is range — one machine, almost any material, almost any thickness, no heat. That breadth is why it anchors a fabrication shop.
Choose laser when…
You run high volumes of thin sheet metal and raw speed is everything. On thin steel a fiber laser is hard to beat for throughput — provided you can accept a heat-affected edge and that you're not cutting reflective metals, stone or glass.
Choose plasma when…
You need to cut thick conductive metal fast and cheaply, and edge quality is a secondary concern. Plasma is quick on structural steel but leaves dross, a wider kerf and heat.
Choose EDM when…
You need extreme precision and fine detail in conductive metal — dies, tooling, intricate profiles — and you can accept that it's slow and limited to metals.
Decided waterjet is the fit?
Rich has engineered its own IP68 cutting head and intensifier in-house since 2008. Tell the configurator what you cut and get the right machine — and a real price.