A waterjet utilizes a high pressure stream of water to erode a narrow line in the stock material. To cut a wider range of materials from tool steel to titanium to foam, a granular (typically garnet) abrasive is added to the waterjet, increasing the cutting power. Because the abrasive is added at the nozzle, it is simple to switch between water only and abrasive waterjet cutting. This flexibility greatly enhances the versatility of a waterjet machine, as it can easily switch from cutting ½" (1.27cm) foam gaskets to 4" (10.16cm) titanium brackets.
