Heat or pressure? Speed or thickness? Material matters.

Depends on thickness. Thin metal (< 6 mm): laser 3–5× faster. Medium (6–15 mm): roughly similar. Thick (> 15 mm): waterjet wins — can cut 150 mm steel that laser cannot reach. For high-volume production of thin-to-medium sheet metal parts, laser is standard. For thick plate work or heat-sensitive materials, waterjet dominates.

Depends on downstream process. For welded parts: laser HAZ is not an issue since welding adds more heat. For heat-treated aluminum (7075-T6, 6061-T6): laser cut edge locally softens, potentially problematic for high-stress edge applications. For precision machined parts cut to shape: waterjet avoids edge softening. For general sheet metal fabrication, laser HAZ is negligible and doesn't affect performance.

Stone (granite, marble, limestone), glass, ceramics, composites (carbon fiber, fiberglass), cloth and fabric, wood and plywood, thick metals (> 20 mm), reflective metals (pure copper, polished aluminum), titanium (laser is possible but heat-sensitive), food-grade materials without contamination. Waterjet's key advantage: material-agnostic cutting.

Typical pricing for sheet metal cutting services: laser $1–5 per linear meter of cut (thin material), $3–10 per linear meter (thick material). Waterjet: $2–8 per linear meter (thin), $6–20 per linear meter (thick). Laser cheaper for thin metal production. Waterjet cheaper for thick material (despite higher hourly rate, it actually cuts faster and more effectively). For specific comparison, we quote both for same part.

Laser cutting: ±0.1 mm typical, ±0.05 mm possible on optimized material. Waterjet: ±0.2 mm typical, ±0.1 mm possible with specialized machines. Both adequate for most sheet metal and flat-stock applications. For precision prototype parts needing tighter than ±0.1 mm, CNC milling from flat stock may be better than either.

Laser: varies with thickness. Thin clean cuts (Ra 0.8 µm), thick cuts may have drag lines or dross (Ra 3–6 µm). Waterjet: clean uniform edge across all thicknesses (Ra 3–6 µm standard), can produce very smooth cuts with slower head speed. Both may require deburring for cosmetic applications. For mechanical functional parts, both produce adequate finish for assembly.