Waterjet Cutting Services in Ontario
Waterjet cutting services at WeFab in Leamington, Ontario, cut steel, stainless, aluminum, glass, stone, and plastics from 0.06″ to 3″ thick on an OMAX 80X with a 12 × 5 ft bed.
Parts in materials and thicknesses a laser can’t touch, all from the same supplier handling the rest of your project.
The cold, material-agnostic waterjet process handles heavy plate and non-metallics without heat-affected zones, enabling mixed-material projects without adding a second vendor.
Waterjet Cutting Capabilities
WeFab runs a single-head OMAX 80X abrasive waterjet with a 12 ft × 5 ft bed, ±0.005″ positional accuracy, and 80 HPA Barton garnet. It cuts flat profiles from 0.06″ to 3″ thick in metals and non-metals without adding heat to the material.
The waterjet sits in the same 208,000 sq ft Leamington facility as WeFab’s fiber lasers, press brakes, and weld bays, so cut parts never leave the building.
| Capability | Specification |
|---|---|
| Machine | OMAX 80X abrasive waterjet |
| Cutting heads | Single head |
| Bed size | 12 ft × 5 ft |
| Thickness range | 0.06″ to 3″ |
| Positional accuracy | ±0.005″ |
| Abrasive | 80 HPA Barton garnet |
| Bevel / 5-axis cutting | Not offered |
| Heat-affected zone | None (cold cutting process) |
| Turnaround | Depends on material, quoted per job |
WeFab is direct about scope: the OMAX 80X is a single-head machine with no 5-axis or bevel head, so waterjet parts are cut as flat profiles.
Abrasive waterjet: a cutting process that forces water at ultra-high pressure through a small nozzle, mixed with a fine abrasive such as garnet, to erode a narrow path through the material. Because it cuts by erosion rather than melting, one machine can cut metal, stone, glass, and plastics.
Heat-affected zone (HAZ): the band of metal next to a thermal cut or weld whose properties have been altered by heat, even though it did not melt. Avoiding a HAZ matters when hardness, temper, or a heat-sensitive material at the cut edge has to stay as specified.
When to Choose Waterjet vs Laser Cutting
Choose waterjet for thick plate, heat-sensitive material, and non-metals such as glass, stone, and plastics. Choose fiber laser for faster cutting of steel, stainless, and aluminum sheet and plate. WeFab runs both in Leamington and recommends the process during quoting.
| Factor | Abrasive waterjet (OMAX 80X) | Fiber laser (BLM LS7, BLM LS5, Bystronic BySprint Fiber 3015) |
|---|---|---|
| Heat input | None; cold cut | Thermal cut |
| Materials | Metals, glass, stone, plastics, and more | Sheet and plate metals |
| Thickness | 0.06″ to 3″ | Sheet and plate |
| Bed / format | 12 × 5 ft | Tower storage, sheets to ~2,000 lb |
| Positional accuracy | ±0.005″ | ±0.005″ hole positions |
Most structural plate parts run faster on WeFab’s 6 to 12 kW fiber lasers. Waterjet earns its place when the part is thick, when heat at the edge is unacceptable, or when the material cannot go on a laser. See Sheet & Plate Laser Cutting for laser specifications.
Materials, Thicknesses, and Typical Applications
The OMAX 80X at WeFab cuts steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, glass, stone, UHMW, polycarbonate, and other plastics, plus wood, from 0.06″ to 3″ thick. Recent waterjet work includes thick plate for Integra, brass floor-tile inserts for CSD, and polycarbonate signage.
- Thick plate cutting: thick plate waterjet-cut for Integra.
- Decorative metal: brass inserts waterjet-cut for CSD and set into a tile floor.
- Non-metallic parts: polycarbonate signage, cut cold.
- Mixed materials: metal, UHMW, glass, and stone parts cut on one machine.
One caveat: wood can be tricky on a waterjet because it can swell.
How Our Waterjet Cutting Process Works
Waterjet jobs at WeFab move from drawing review to cutting to downstream fabrication in one Leamington facility. The estimating team confirms material and thickness, recommends waterjet or fiber laser for the part, and quotes a turnaround based on the specific material being cut.
Step 1: Send the drawing and material details
Share the drawing or CAD file, material, thickness, and quantity.
Step 2: Process review
The team confirms the part fits the 12 × 5 ft bed and the 0.06″ to 3″ range, and checks whether a fiber laser would cut it faster.
Step 3: Cutting on the OMAX 80X
Parts are cut with 80 HPA Barton garnet at ±0.005″ positional accuracy, with no heat-affected zone.
Step 4: Downstream fabrication
Cut parts can go directly to Forming & Rolling, welding, or assembly under one roof.
Step 5: Delivery
Finished parts ship on WeFab’s owned flatbed and step-deck fleet, with no freight brokers in between.
Why Project Teams Choose WeFab for Waterjet Cutting
WeFab pairs an OMAX 80X waterjet with fiber lasers, forming, and certified welding in a 208,000 sq ft shop. South Essex Fabricating has been fabricating since 1994, and waterjet parts stay on one site from cut to finished assembly.
- OMAX 80X abrasive waterjet: 12 × 5 ft bed, 0.06″ to 3″, ±0.005″ positional accuracy
- Waterjet and fiber laser under one roof: the process is chosen for the part, not the other way around
- CWB W47.1 Division 2 welding (Company Code DENDE1, held by parent company SEF) for parts that go on to be welded
- 88,000 lb overhead bridge crane for heavy plate and truck load-out
- $10M general liability and $30M bonding capacity, sized for industrial and data centre work
- WSIB clearance current
Service Area: Ontario First, US Projects by Arrangement
WeFab provides waterjet cutting from Leamington to customers across Ontario, including Windsor-Essex, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, and the Greater Toronto Area. US deliveries are arranged by request through a customs broker relationship, and Ontario deliveries run on WeFab’s own flatbed and step-deck trucks.
Owning the fleet keeps delivery timing inside the shop’s control. See Logistics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How thick can WeFab cut with a waterjet?
WeFab’s OMAX 80X waterjet cuts material from 0.06″ up to 3″ thick on a 12 ft × 5 ft bed. Because waterjet is a cold cutting process, thick plate comes off the table with no heat-affected zone at the cut edge, which matters for heat-sensitive material.
Is waterjet or laser cutting better for my part?
Fiber laser is usually faster for steel, stainless, and aluminum sheet and plate. Waterjet is the better choice for thick plate, heat-sensitive parts, and non-metals like glass, stone, UHMW, and polycarbonate. WeFab runs both processes in Leamington and recommends one when it reviews your drawing.
Can WeFab waterjet-cut bevels?
No. WeFab’s OMAX 80X is a single-head waterjet without a 5-axis or bevel head, so waterjet parts are cut as flat profiles. Weld preparation on tube and pipe is handled on WeFab’s BLM tube lasers, which cut bevels up to 45° in mild steel.
How long does a waterjet cutting job take?
Turnaround depends on the material and thickness being cut, so WeFab quotes it per job rather than publishing a standard lead time. Send the drawing, material, and quantity, and the estimating team will confirm cutting time and delivery with the quote.
Request a Waterjet Cutting Quote
Send a drawing, material, thickness, and quantity to the WeFab estimating team for a waterjet cutting quote. For waterjet cutting services in Leamington, Ontario, call 548-919-0125 or email sales@wefab.ca.
Related capabilities: Sheet and plate laser cutting · Forming and rolling · Tube and pipe laser cutting · Logistics
