{"id":3145,"date":"2026-07-24T11:46:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iam.es\/?p=3145"},"modified":"2026-07-24T12:15:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T12:15:59","slug":"laser-cutting-vs-waterjet-cutting-which-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iam.es\/en\/laser-cutting-vs-waterjet-cutting-which-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"Laser Cutting vs Waterjet Cutting: Differences and When to Choose Each One"},"content":{"rendered":"

Both <\/span>laser cutting<\/b> and <\/span>waterjet cutting<\/b> are high-precision cutting technologies offered by <\/span>Grupo IAM<\/b> from our facilities in Bergara. Although they may seem like similar alternatives for many projects, they have very different technical profiles and each one excels in specific situations. Knowing the differences is key to choosing the most suitable technology for each material and each part.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does laser cutting work?<\/h2>\n

Laser cutting uses a high-intensity beam of light to melt, vaporize, or burn the material in the cutting zone. It is a fast and highly precise technology for thin to medium metal sheets, especially carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. However, it generates a <\/span>heat-affected zone<\/b> (HAZ) on the cut material that can alter its mechanical and metallurgical properties. At Grupo IAM we have <\/span>1 laser cutting machine<\/b><\/a> for applications where this technology is the most suitable.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does waterjet cutting work?<\/h2>\n

Waterjet cutting uses high-pressure water \u2014 up to <\/span>6,000 bar<\/b> at our facilities \u2014 mixed with abrasive (garnet) to cut the material. It is a <\/span>completely cold process<\/b>: it generates no heat, creates no heat-affected zone, and does not alter the material’s properties. It is compatible with virtually any material, whether conductive or not, and handles thicknesses of <\/span>up to 200 mm<\/b>. We have 6<\/strong> <\/span>conventional waterjet cutting<\/a> machines<\/b> and <\/span>1 micro cutting machine<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key differences between laser and waterjet<\/h2>\n