What is waterjetting?

Waterjetting is the use of pressurised water to clean, prepare, cut or remove material from a surface. Depending on the pressure, water flow, nozzle and application tool, it can be used for anything from industrial cleaning to demanding coating removal and concrete demolition.

Unlike abrasive blasting, water jetting does not usually require abrasive media to strike the surface. This can significantly reduce the volume of spent abrasive that needs to be collected, transported and disposed of after the work while also helping reduce airborne dust.

The result depends on more than pressure alone. Water flow, nozzle design, stand-off distance, travel speed and the condition of the material all influence performance.

What is ultra-high-pressure waterjetting?

What is ultra-high-pressure waterjetting?

Ultra-high-pressure waterjetting, commonly shortened to UHP waterjetting, uses specialised pumps and tooling to deliver water at extremely high pressures for demanding cleaning, coating removal and surface-preparation work. It is commonly used where conventional high-pressure waterjetting does not provide sufficient energy to remove tightly bonded coatings, corrosion, scale or contamination.

UHP waterjetting can remove coatings and contaminants without introducing abrasive media, making it particularly useful for industrial surface preparation where reducing spent abrasive waste is a priority. However, the required surface condition, production rate and effectiveness depend on the complete system configuration, not pressure alone.

What is robotic waterjetting?

Robotic waterjetting uses remotely operated equipment to position and move the waterjetting tool across a surface. Depending on the machine, robotic systems can work on floors, walls, curved structures and overhead areas.

Robotic equipment can improve consistency by controlling travel speed and nozzle stand-off. It can also increase the distance between the operator and the active nozzle, although trained personnel, exclusion zones, PPE and safe operating procedures are still required.

Pressure washing, waterjetting and hydrodemolition

Discover how waterjetting can be used for surface preparation, concrete remediation, as well as comparing manual vs robotic processes.