QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
How much does waterjet cutting cost per inch?
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For a 4 × 4-inch A36 blank cut from 1/4-inch plate, this example gives $0.34 per perimeter inch for waterjet running time, and $15.89 per finished blank in a ten-piece lot after stock, setup, deburr and 30% markup. A universal price per inch misses thickness, pierces and edge quality.
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Compare the same outline at nine stock conditions
Every row cuts a 16-inch outside perimeter and makes one initial pierce. There are no internal holes, bevels or secondary machining operations. The machine rate is $125 per hour with garnet included; adding abrasive again would double count it. Plate rates are editable quoting assumptions: A36 $1.10/lb, 6061 $4.50/lb and 304 $3.60/lb. These are not current supplier offers.
The table's per-inch value includes the model's one-minute loading allowance and thickness-dependent pierce time. It excludes the lot setup and stock. The finished-blank column includes those items, a small deburr operation, the catalog stock model and a $65 minimum line charge. Compare like columns when checking a competitor's number.
| Material | Thickness in | Waterjet min/part | Cutting cost/in | Finished blank sell/part at 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A36 | 0.25 | 2.60 | $0.34 | $15.89 |
| A36 | 0.5 | 4.50 | $0.59 | $23.27 |
| A36 | 1 | 8.60 | $1.12 | $38.84 |
| 6061 | 0.25 | 2.50 | $0.33 | $16.54 |
| 6061 | 0.5 | 4.20 | $0.55 | $24.27 |
| 6061 | 1 | 8.00 | $1.04 | $40.83 |
| 304 | 0.25 | 3.10 | $0.40 | $22.46 |
| 304 | 0.5 | 5.60 | $0.73 | $36.67 |
| 304 | 1 | 11.00 | $1.43 | $66.20 |
Why edge quality belongs beside thickness
A faster separation cut and a finished edge are different products. Ask whether the customer accepts taper and striations or needs a perpendicular sealing or locating face. The speed approximation used here divides 2.2 inches per minute by thickness raised to 1.15 and multiplies by the catalog material factor, capped at 60 inches per minute. It is an estimating relationship, not an OMAX or Flow performance guarantee.
A drawing with many small openings adds starts as well as inches. Quoting it from outside perimeter alone can lose money even when the outside dimensions match a simple rectangle. Preserve the actual DXF cut length and pierce count in the estimate and replace this approximation with your machine's cut chart when available.
Where waterjet earns a place in the routing
OMAX identifies cutting without a heat-affected zone as a reason to use abrasive waterjet on aerospace materials. That can justify the process when downstream machining or material requirements make a thermal edge undesirable. It does not make waterjet the lowest-priced choice for every plate.
For thick aluminum or titanium, compare the complete routes: purchased plate, nesting yield, cutting, any edge cleanup and inspection. For thin sheet, obtain a laser alternative instead of assuming a slow waterjet estimate represents the cheapest route. Keep replacement nozzles, maintenance and pump ownership in the hourly rate; check that a customer-supplied plate does not leave you carrying all the scrap risk.
Waterjet assumptions
- • 4 × 4 in blank, one pierce, 16 in cut, thicknesses 0.25/0.50/1 in.
- • $125/h, 20 min waterjet setup; garnet included. Deburr $55/h, 5 min setup and 0.5 min/part.
- • US stock allowance and density; 30% markup, no automatic markup rules, $65 floor. No freight, tax, bevels, inspection or secondary milling.
| Material | Thickness in | Waterjet min/part | Cutting cost/in | Finished blank sell/part at 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A36 | 0.25 | 2.60 | $0.34 | $15.89 |
| A36 | 0.5 | 4.50 | $0.59 | $23.27 |
| A36 | 1 | 8.60 | $1.12 | $38.84 |
| 6061 | 0.25 | 2.50 | $0.33 | $16.54 |
| 6061 | 0.5 | 4.20 | $0.55 | $24.27 |
| 6061 | 1 | 8.00 | $1.04 | $40.83 |
| 304 | 0.25 | 3.10 | $0.40 | $22.46 |
| 304 | 0.5 | 5.60 | $0.73 | $36.67 |
| 304 | 1 | 11.00 | $1.43 | $66.20 |
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- OMAX describes abrasive waterjet as avoiding a heat-affected zone; checked October 30, 2026. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
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