What is Water Jetting?
Water jetting is an advanced high-pressure water technology that uses an extremely fine and focused water stream to process, clean, or cut materials. The process is entirely mechanical and produces no heat, allowing for precise and material-friendly processing of sensitive substances such as metal, plastic, stone, or glass.
At the heart of this technology are high-pressure pumps that compress water to pressures of several thousand bar. The resulting high-speed jet strikes the workpiece surface with consistent precision, enabling clean and controlled results – even with complex shapes or fine contours.
Water jetting is widely used in industrial applications, particularly in surface cleaning and water jet cutting. Since the process requires no chemical additives and generates no harmful emissions, it is considered an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for modern manufacturing.
How Does a Water Jetting Pump Work?
A water jetting pump is the core component of any high-pressure water system. Its role is to pressurize water to the required level to create a powerful, precisely controlled jet. Inside the pump, water is mechanically compressed, generating pressures of several thousand bar. The resulting high-pressure water jet is then directed through a nozzle onto the material being processed.
Different pump designs are used depending on the application. Piston pumps compress water via a moving piston, making them ideal for medium to high-pressure applications with steady flow requirements. Plunger pumps, on the other hand, use a durable plunger to generate extremely high pressures from smaller water volumes, achieving the precision needed for demanding cutting or cleaning processes.
This controlled pressure generation allows for a stable high-pressure jet capable of cutting, cleaning, or processing materials like metal, plastic, stone, and glass with exceptional accuracy – without causing any deformation.
Pump Technology in Water Jetting
Water jetting pumps rely on advanced high-pressure technology to deliver water efficiently as a precise tool for cutting, cleaning, or material removal. Depending on the required pressure range and application, various displacement pump types are used, each offering specific advantages.
Piston Pumps
Designed for medium to high pressure ranges. The piston’s linear motion compresses the water within the cylinder, providing steady flow and stable operating conditions – ideal for continuous processes requiring constant pressure.
Plunger Pumps
Used where extremely high pressures are needed. A plunger – an exceptionally wear-resistant pressure rod – directly compresses the water. This design achieves very high operating pressures with excellent efficiency, durability, and control. Plunger pumps are perfect for demanding cutting and cleaning applications where consistent performance and maximum precision are essential.
Specifications and Selection Criteria
Selecting the right water jetting pump depends on several key technical parameters that determine performance, efficiency, and longevity. Only when these factors are perfectly matched can the system operate reliably and economically.
- Pressure Range: Determines cutting power and cleaning performance. For high-pressure applications such as water jet cutting, pressures of several thousand bar are required.
- Flow Rate: Affects the efficiency of the water stream. Too little flow slows processing, while too much wastes energy. The ideal balance between pressure and flow rate is critical for achieving optimal results.
- Size and Capacity: The pump must be correctly sized for its intended use. Undersized units may not reach required pressures, while oversized systems can increase operating costs. Proper sizing ensures consistent performance and energy efficiency.
- Pump Material: KAMAT uses corrosion-resistant stainless steel capable of withstanding extreme pressures and abrasion. This choice enhances durability, reduces maintenance, and minimizes downtime.
By combining optimal pressure ranges, flow capacities, and high-quality materials, KAMAT ensures that each water jetting pump is precisely engineered for its specific industrial application.
Applications of Water Jetting Pumps
KAMAT offers a wide range of water jetting pumps designed for various industrial applications. Using water under extremely high pressure allows for efficient, precise, and eco-friendly solutions to even the most demanding cleaning and processing tasks. Wherever accuracy and material protection are crucial, water jetting provides a clear advantage.
Industrial High-Pressure Washing
In industrial pressure washing, water jetting provides thorough and efficient removal of contaminants from technical surfaces. It is widely used in petrochemical plants, power generation, heavy industry, and construction. The high-pressure jet removes dirt, coatings, rust, bitumen, or deposits without requiring chemicals or abrasives.
The process is fast, gentle on materials, and environmentally friendly – even with stubborn or large-scale residues, such as in heat exchangers, pipelines, reactors, or tanks. Sensitive components can also be cleaned residue-free without surface damage.
Water Jet Cutting
Water jet cutting is another key application for water jetting pumps. Depending on the material, it can be performed with or without abrasives. Pure water jet cutting is ideal for soft materials such as rubber, plastic, paper, or foam.
For harder materials like metal, ceramic, glass, or stone, an abrasive such as garnet sand is added. This abrasive water jet cutting enables clean edges, minimal thermal impact, and high dimensional accuracy – used extensively in automotive, aerospace, machinery, architecture, and composite material processing.
Surface Preparation and Treatment
Water jetting is also used for coating removal, concrete surface preparation, or substrate cleaning before restoration. The high-pressure jet removes material evenly and precisely – without chemicals.
Applications include construction, corrosion protection, shipbuilding, and maintenance of transport and industrial infrastructure. The controlled water jet allows selective treatment without affecting adjacent surfaces.
Thanks to KAMAT’s modular system, our pumps can be easily customized to meet specific operational requirements, ensuring maximum performance, efficiency, and durability.
What Are the Advantages of Water Jetting?
Water jetting combines precision, environmental safety, efficiency, and reliability in one advanced process. It is a future-proof technology suited for both single operations and fully automated production lines where quality, sustainability, and cost-efficiency are key.
Key Benefits of Water Jetting:
- Precision and Efficiency: The fine water jet enables clean cuts and uniform material removal, even on complex geometries or sensitive materials. Particularly effective with composites, high-performance metals, and coated surfaces.
- Environmental Friendliness: Operates without chemicals or abrasives – producing no toxic fumes or residues. Meets stringent environmental and safety standards, ideal for sustainability-focused industries.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Low Maintenance: Eliminates consumables like abrasives or chemicals, significantly reducing operating costs. Robust high-pressure pump design minimizes wear and downtime.
- Workplace Safety: Unlike thermal or abrasive processes, water jetting generates no heat, sparks, or hazardous gases. The non-contact process can be automated or remotely operated, ensuring safe use in sensitive or hazardous environments.
- Application Flexibility: Suitable for a wide variety of materials and uses – from precise cleaning to large-scale cutting. Easily integrated into existing production systems, adaptable for both manual and automated setups.
KAMAT Water Jetting Pumps
KAMAT is a leading manufacturer of water jetting pumps and high-pressure systems for industrial use. Known for their efficiency, durability, and precision, KAMAT pumps are used worldwide – in manufacturing, energy, chemical industries, and surface engineering.
Their modular design allows for exact adaptation to specific pressure and performance requirements, providing custom high-pressure solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows and deliver consistent results under extreme conditions. The KAMAT Pump Finder enables users to quickly and easily find the ideal water jetting pump for their specific requirements.
With decades of expertise in high-pressure technology and a strong focus on innovation, KAMAT delivers reliable, high-performance solutions for businesses that value precision, safety, and cost-efficiency.
