The special properties of waterjet cutting include flexibility, material diversity and environmental friendliness. However, the technology is often only used for medium-sized to very large cutting parts. Less common is waterjet technology for high-precision cutting applications - so-called "micro waterjet cutting". The use of this process, also known as micro cutting, ranges from medical technology and optics to the production of extremely delicate parts for watches. Compared to conventional waterjet cutting systems, even greater precision and even smaller web widths are possible. A water jet in the micro cutting insert measures just 0.2 mm in diameter and enables part accuracies of less than 0.01 mm.

Micro waterjet cutting enables up to 10 times greater precision than conventional waterjet cutting. On the one hand, the high demands on part accuracy require expertise in the setup of cutting parameters and workpiece clamping. At the same time, a robust system design with a high-precision positioning system and simple operation are required. Waterjet cutting is a cold cutting process. In contrast to other processes, there is no structural change in the material that could lead to impairment or distortion in the material. In addition, excellent cutting quality is possible without reworking.

The quick and uncomplicated setup of cutting programs with the SmartCut CAD/CAM software from STM Waterjet makes the technology suitable for prototyping applications. In addition, waterjet cutting does not produce any harmful emissions during the cutting process. The STM solutions for micro waterjet cutting allow cutting with pure water at up to 4,000 bar for plastics, foam or similar materials. With the addition of abrasive sand, it is also possible to cut hard materials such as metals, ceramics, carbon fiber or glass. The MicroCut from STM meets all of the above requirements. It has a robust frame with a base made of solid, vibration-damping granite. A positioning drive with position measuring system guarantees positioning accuracies of ±2.5 µm. The closed design with motorized safety door ensures maximum safety with low operating noise. An abrasive supply is integrated as well as a high-precision clamping frame and the highly dynamic CNC machine control.