Frequently Asked Questions About Precision Cutting

At Formwell Industries, we understand that not everyone has a wealth of knowledge regarding all of the ins and outs of precision cutting. That’s why we are here to help. Managing a business, especially one that is undergoing new interior or exterior construction projects, can leave little room for extensive research. This is why finding a trusted industry expert is essential when undertaking a new metalwork project.

In this article, we will discuss questions we are frequently asked by customers regarding precision cutting:

1. What materials can you cut?

With our Flow Water Jet cutting machine, we are able to cut virtually any material—foam, concrete, metals, and glass (with the exemption of tempered glass). Water jet cutting is a method of precision cutting that is an especially good choice for projects that can’t have any heat-affected zones. This method also allows projects to move into production quickly, since the process is so clean.

2. How thick of a material can you cut?

When the material is ½” or thinner, we can cut to 1/64” or 0.01” tolerance. We prefer to keep projects ¼” or thinner because of the difficulties associated with handling such heavy material.

As a sheet metal fabricator, our efficient process includes stacking multiple sheets at a time in order to cut uniform products quickly. We have the capability to cut up to 6”, but at a very low tolerance of about ⅛” because the waterjet will flare out at the bottom of the part as the pressure is dispersed going through the material.

3. Do you provide the material?

We specialize in using our expertise to guide our customer’s projects from start to finish— including decisions regarding material. We start by listening to the customer’s preliminary project ideas, including material coordination and selection, and offer suggestions from there.

We can use customer provided material, but we are not able to store material for longer than a standard production run due to limited storage space.

4. What is the largest size you can cut?

Our cutting table is 5’x10’ and anything that can fit that space can be cut. We prefer ¼”x4’x10’ of any metal; however, because of weight we can cut thicker (up to ½”) on smaller parts.

5. What is your cutting tolerance?

When the material is ½” or thinner, we can cut 1/64” or 0.01” tolerance, depending on the material.

6. What is your turnaround time?

For standard projects, our turnaround time is 10-14 business days. The more parts or accuracy needed, the longer the turnaround time.

7. What type of digital files do you require?

We require DXF and DWG files.

8. How much will it cost?

We have a shop minimum of $150 on all projects. Our hourly rate for the water jet is $150 per hour; we can cut up to 10-20 inches per minute, depending on the thickness and material.

9. How can I send you a file for a quote?

Email us with a drawing at info@formwellindustries.com, preferably a DXF or DWG, we will then review the PDF version to confirm dimensions. If you decide to collaborate and proceed, we then provide an initial prototype before proceeding with the entire order.

Have more questions? We are here to answer all your questions regarding precision cutting and beyond.

Contact your local fabricator, Formwell Industries, today to talk about your next metalwork project.