ELECTRICAL

The WAZER Desktop Main Unit only has one model and can be plugged into 100-240VAC sockets. However, the Pump Box comes as different models for the specific voltage region you are in. The following answers are for both the Pump  V1.5A (110 VAC 60hz) and the Pump V1.5B ( 220 VAC 50hz). Please ensure you follow the appropriate electrical connection instructions below given. You can verify your Pump model by looking at the Primary Pump Product Label on your Pump Unit.

• Pump V1.5A:  The Pump Unit consumes up to 15 amps and the Main Unit consumes up to 2amps. Given traditional 110 VAC 60hz household and shop circuits you will be required to have one of the following:
  • 2x 15amp circuits (common household shop application)
  • 1x 20amp circuit (common industrial and shop application)
• Pump V1.5B: This  Pump Unit consumes up to 8 amps and Main Unit consumes up to 1 amp. Any circuit  larger or equal to 10A will be more than sufficient.
• As is usually the case with high load motors, there is an inherent “in-rush current” that will momentarily exceed the stated steady-state run currents above for a fraction of a second.  The time associated with this “in-rush current” is very short and almost all household and commercial AC breakers are designed to handle this safely without tripping.  However, in the rare case that you run into trouble with your breaker tripping you may need to consult an electrician to have your system checked to handle on the order of 60 amps for 150 milliseconds.
• WAZER Desktop should not be used in noisy electromagnetic environments.  Some appropriate environments include laboratories, household workshops, and most machine shops.  Heavy industrial environments that contain machinery or devices that induce electromagnetic interference on other adjacent devices (either on the same circuit or in the general proximity) should be avoided.

WATER SUPPLY

Some areas are susceptible to dirty water or water main pollution. Please be sure to install the filter canister that comes with WAZER Desktop before the inlet to the pump, to ensure water supply contaminants don’t go into the pump. We cannot be held accountable for damage caused to the pump as a result of a contaminated water supply.

• Flow Rate: Greater than 1gpm (3.8L/min). Most household and commercial water plumbing will meet this requirement. Typical bathroom faucets 1-3 gpm, kitchen faucets 2-4 gpm, and outdoor/shop hoses 3-6 gpm.
• Pressure: 35-125psi (0.24MPa – 0.8MPa). Most household and commercial water plumbing systems fall in this range. The higher in that range, the better for the Pump Box in terms of its longevity.
• Temperature: Maximum 130°F (54°C). DO NOT use a hot water line for the WAZER Desktop. 
• Water Hardness: Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) less than 180 mg/L. Water hardness is the biggest factor that affects the longevity of the components. Most municipal water in North America is below this figure, however we suggest you give your region a search if this is a concern.

WATER DRAINAGE

Make sure that it does not take more than 30 feet (9m) of your Water Drain Hose to go from WAZER Desktop to the drain. Additionally, the drain location should be less than 4 feet (1.2m ) above WAZER Desktop.

TABLETOP

• Sturdy and capable of holding over 400 lbs (160kg).
• Flat and level under load. The levelness is key for correct operation of WAZER Desktop. Maximum 1.5mm of height difference across the entire cutting bed.
• A clear area of 46” by 27” (1.2m by 0.7m) to allow for access.
• Does not deteriorate when exposed to water. When the machine is not maintained or operated properly, water may stream out from the abrasive hopper and other places.
  • Good choices: quartz, stainless steel, treated solid wood
  • Poor choices: plywood, unfinished MDF or particle board
• NOTE: No table or workbench is necessary if you plan on using WAZER Desktop with the Stand Leg Accessory (aka WAZER Standup). However, please keep a 62” area above the floor footprint that you intend to place your WAZER on in order to allow access to it.
• Floorspace: The Pump Box is intended to be placed on the floor and requires 30” x 26” (0.8m x 0.7m) of space to allow for adequate airflow, cables, and hoses.

AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE

40 – 100 F / 5 – 40 C. WAZER should never be operated outside of this range.

SPACE AROUND WAZER

Make sure to have at least 12” (0.4m) of free space on the right and left sides of WAZER. On the left side of WAZER, you will need room to refill the Abrasive Hopper. On the right side, you may need access to the Control Box.

WET AREA

WAZER Desktop operates with abrasive and water. Though WAZER is enclosed, it is not a sealed system, and water and abrasives will inevitably leak on some occasions, especially if the machine is not working properly. The floor surface should be water-resistant, slip proof and smooth enough for easy cleanup of spills. A nearby floor drain is also recommended. Water may stream out from under your abrasive hopper; this is one example of why WAZER needs to be placed in a water tolerant area.

PROXIMITY TO ABRASIVE STORAGE

Abrasive is heavy. If you will be cutting often make sure that the WAZER location is close to a storage area for Abrasive and Used Abrasive. Moving abrasive long distances can quickly become cumbersome.

NOISE

WAZER Desktop emits noise that would be disruptive in settings such as classrooms and offices. Make sure to place WAZER in a location where the noise level of traditional shop tools like drills and saws is acceptable.

WAM is the only software that works with WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop. You will need this software to convert your design files into Cut Files for either WAZER machine. WAM is browser-based and works on Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer. It is a free, simple and intuitive application that allows you to use WAZER in just a few clicks. You can try out WAM for free.

No, you cannot. WAM is essentially a cut file generation program, not a design software. There are a variety of different design software options that can translate your ideas and paper sketches into digital designs. These programs vary in complexity and cater to a variety of different industries and applications. They also vary in cost and have different learning curves.

WAM uses your finished drawing file (.dxf or .svg) and walks you through the procedure needed to set up your cut with a WAZER.

Yes, WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop both require the use of our online software, WAM. The WAM algorithm implements safety information, material cut setting and cut path optimization to the cut file. On top of that, WAZER constantly upgrades WAM to incorporate more features we discover and develop internally.

Despite WAM being browser based, all of the design file processing is done locally on your computer. Often there is a misconception that web based software means data is being sent and processed on servers somewhere on the internet. This is not the case, and by using WAM, your design files are never sent to WAZER servers or across the internet.

As some additional insight on the matter, WAZER uses a browser-based system for the following three reasons:

• Provides you free of charge updates to the software seamlessly upon login.
• Frees you of software installation needs and PC/Mac compatibility issues.
• Collects information on the parameters that were chosen for a cut file so we can continue to provide meaningful updates on features and options that are actually being used.

View all details on WAZER’s operating cost.

The primary consumables are the abrasive, the Cut Bed and the Nozzle. View all details on WAZER’s consumables.

Maintenance for both WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop can be broken down into 3 categories:

• Short Term Service (after 20 – 100 hours of operation)
• Medium Service (after 300 hours of operation)
• Long Term Service (after 600 hours of operation)

Refer to the maintenance section of the User Manual and support website for more details.

It is easy to hold a conversation next to the WAZER Pro or the WAZER Desktop while it is cutting. For example, we ran a live on-stage demo while giving a presentation next to an operating WAZER Desktop at the TechCrunch Disrupt SF event. We also did interview sessions with various publications while the WAZER Desktop was running. The sound energy emission measurement is 74dB. It compares to some appliances you may be familiar with. For example, it is louder than a dishwasher but significantly quieter than a vacuum. It is also quieter than a grinder or bandsaw.

WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop are small footprint industrial machine tools that can cut any material and therefore can cause injury. We have taken great measures and implemented extensive safety features to design out, guard against and warn of hazards. A prime example is the door that will immediately shut off the water jet if it is opened during an operation. Many WAZER waterjet models also have safety certifications. We have included extensive warnings, illustrations, and reminders to make sure you are aware of the associated hazards.

View the safety certifications for each WAZER model.

For more details on WAZER’s safety features, please reference the Safety and Compliance section of the User Manual for details.

Globally, the WAZER Pro and the WAZER Desktop completed the machine certification for the European market, and all machines are Conformité Européenne (CE) compliant.

For the North American market, the WAZER Pro is FCC Certified.

Please Contact Us with further questions.

The cut rates for WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop vary depending on the material being cut and the material thickness, so there is no single answer. The Materials Specs table shows cut rates for common materials. Working with a different thickness? Use our Cutting Calculator. If you do not see the material and thickness listed that you want to cut, Request a sample and we will test it.

This depends on what material you’re cutting. The list in the Materials Specs table shows the cut-able thicknesses for various materials. If you do not see the material and thickness listed that you want to cut, request a sample and we will test it.

The Z-travel of the Nozzle is 1 in (25.4mm) so this is the maximum material thickness that can fit between the Nozzle and the top surface of the Cut Bed.

Most likely. The list on the Material Specs page shows cut rates for popular materials and thicknesses with WAZER waterjets. If you don’t see the material or thickness you want to cut, request a sample, and we will test it.

When determining accuracy, there are several factors to keep in mind, such as material type, material thickness, fixturing, cut rate and desired geometry. Overall, the cut produced by the water stream is roughly 0.044” (1.1mm) in width, which is also the smallest width you can cut. Read this article addressing WAZER’s accuracy and precision in more detail.

A few expectations to keep in mind while using your WAZER is that:

• The thicker the material, the more likelihood of an increased tapered cut. This means the top of the cut width will be slightly bigger than the bottom of the cut.
• If you cut different materials at the same cut quality and material thickness, you can expect the accuracy and precision to vary due to variables in the materials.
• The accuracy of the cutting stream at any given point in time will be dependent on the water shape and direction it is headed. Therefore, you may have a different accuracy across different features of the same part.
• Keep in mind, there are natural internal stresses that reside within most materials that cause them to flex and move during the cut process. How well you mount your material to the cut bed will determine the cut quality and accuracy.
• If the material isn’t firmly fastened onto the cut bed it will vibrate or shift position during the cut.

The above instances are not unique to WAZER or to waterjet cutting. Many of the points above are relevant for all cutting methods. This is also why most tool manufacturers cannot promise any accuracy of the end results.

WAZER waterjets cannot engrave or etch your parts. They are designed for through-cutting only. Attempting to etch with WAZER puts a lot of wear and stress on the internal components (because the abrasive will bounce off the surface of the material and could penetrate the gantry system) and will void your warranty.

Generally no. WAZER is capable of cutting certain very soft materials without using abrasive, but this functionality is not present in the software or firmware.

No, WAZER waterjets are not food safe.

The kerf of both WAZER Pro and WAZER Desktop is approximately 0.044” (1.1mm) thick. This will be relatively consistent across most materials. The WAM software will compensate for this cut width so you do not have to worry about calculating any offsets. You should just make sure you don’t design or expect to have any internal features that are smaller than 0.044″ (1.1mm) in size cut out. You may notice that on thick materials the top of the cut will have a larger kerf than at the bottom of a cut, which is due to the way the water stream behaves at the material level.

This brings us to our second point: draft. The draft angle will vary depending on the material, material thickness and cutting speed. Learn more about draft angles when cutting with WAZER.

No. The working flow rate is 0.66 GPM (2.5L/min) for WAZER Pro and 0.45 GPM (1.7L/min) for WAZER Desktop. This is less than 10-20% of the water that is used in a conventional shower head.

No.

WAZER requires the use of clean tap water as its water source. You must discard the discharge water from WAZER to a drain. Using water recirculation will introduce solid particles into the pump and high pressure system, and those particles will damage the machine beyond repair. Damage caused by water recirculation is not covered by warranty. Learn more about the input and output water for WAZER.

WAZER’s unique Abrasive Filtration System removes the abrasive and dense materials you are cutting from the water, so the waste water exiting WAZER is relatively clean. During operation, you will see the tank water is very cloudy and drain water is largely clear. This is normal, mainly due to the trace deposits that are in the abrasive. They typically stay in suspension for hours before settling out. There is minimal risk of abrasive clogging in the pipe systems downstream of the drain. However, since there are suspended solids in the water, there will always be a possibility of a clog occurring. These suspended solids increase with improper maintenance, so it is critical to maintain your machine properly. Learn more about the input and output water for WAZER.

Additionally, if you are cutting hazardous material or potentially polluting materials, the pollutant will get into the tank water. Please dispose of the waste water properly. Be sure to check your local waste water regulations if you have questions or concerns.

WAZER’s operating pressure is significantly higher than that of household water pressure but lower than that of large format industrial waterjets. A lot of effort went into setting this pressure to bring you this technology at the price-point you see. View the high pressure water specs for WAZER waterjets.

However, pressure is not the sole factor that determines the performance of a waterjet and does not tell the customer anything meaningful about the cut quality of the machine. The important performance metric to users is the cutting speed, which is a function of the entire hydraulic subsystem design. Pressure is just one element that contributes to performance, in the same way that a higher megapixel camera does not mean you are going to get better photographs (common misconception). This is well documented in industrial waterjet literature, where there are 60,000 PSI waterjets that cut faster than 90,000 PSI machines!

No.

Everything in the hydraulic system is sized proportionally and is not adjustable. This results in a much simpler and lower-cost system. However, we are always listening. Please reach out to us with what you need to cut, and we will consider your needs in the design of our future accessories and products.

No.

You cannot resue the abrasive, because the used abrasive will contain added particles from the cut material and cut bed that can accumulate and will likely clog WAZER’s abrasive system. Equipment that is capable of drying and filtering the abrasive to a level of purity comparable to fresh abrasive will in all likelihood cost more than simply purchasing more fresh abrasive.

The abrasive used with WAZER waterjets is called garnet. Garnet is an inert, naturally occurring mineral that is safe to simply throw away in the trash as solid waste. Used abrasive can also be repurposed in other creative ways such as an additive in concrete mixing or as fill in construction.

Yes, but please reach out to WAZER Support before purchasing any third party abrasive. Our support engineers will help you determine if the third-party abrasive is compatible with WAZER.

It must be 80 mesh alluvial garnet. That said, we recommend WAZER Abrasive for the most reliable performance. WAZER’s cutting parameters are calibrated using this abrasive, and all the settings for the Default Materials in the WAM software are based off of many hours of testing with WAZER Abrasive. In our experience, some abrasives are inconsistent and do not work well with WAZER. Only use abrasives that are specified for waterjet cutting (for example, sandblasting abrasive is not compatible with WAZER). As a result, problems caused by use of third-party abrasives will not be covered by our support team or in our warranty.

For orders outside of the United States, duties and taxes are not included, but we can often provide accurate estimates. Please Contact Us for questions regarding your specific country.

WAZER is committed to providing a seamless purchase and fulfillment process for our international customers.

Please Contact Us for country-specific details.

You will never find us trying to push our product to a customer that it doesn’t make sense for. You are welcome to Contact Us to explain your use-case, and we are more than happy to advise on whether WAZER is right for you. If it is not, we will happily suggest something that is more appropriate.

By far the most expensive component in a traditional abrasive waterjet is the high pressure pump. These subsystems operate at 60,000-90,000 PSI, generate incredible amounts of cutting power and cost tens of thousands of dollars. We have figured out how to maintain useful cutting performance while significantly reducing the water pressure and thereby machine cost. Sure, WAZER can’t cut through 2-inch-thick steel, but you probably don’t need to.

Yes. Every WAZER waterjet comes with a twelve month warranty and lifetime email support. You can read the complete warranty in our Terms of Service.

Our home base is in New York. We also have a facility in Shenzhen.

Yes!

We’re always looking for talented individuals to join our team. Please see our current job opportunities and reach out to careers@wazer.com.

We’re always interested in partnering with companies who can help make WAZER waterjets accessible to everyone. Submit your WAZER reseller application and we will follow up with you.