Introduction

As manufacturing continues to demand higher precision and productivity, water-jet guided laser (WJGL) technology is gaining momentum in both engineering adoption and market potential. In high-end sectors such as aerospace, electronics, medical devices, and automotive manufacturing, stringent requirements are imposed on dimensional accuracy, edge integrity, heat-affected zone (HAZ) control, and the preservation of material properties. Conventional processes—mechanical machining, thermal cutting, and standard laser processing—often struggle with excessive thermal impact, microcracking, and limited compatibility with highly reflective or heat-sensitive materials.

To address these constraints, researchers introduced a high-speed micro water jet into the laser process, creating WJGL. In this configuration, the water jet serves simultaneously as a beam-guiding medium and an effective coolant/debris-removal medium, improving cut quality and broadening material applicability. Conceptually, WJGL is an innovative hybrid of traditional laser processing and water-jet cutting, offering high energy density, high precision, and markedly reduced thermal damage—attributes that support a wide range of precision manufacturing scenarios.

Working Principle of Water-Jet Guided Laser

Nozzle Design and Micro-Jet Formation

Key Advantages of WJGL

Application Areas

1) Aerospace

Aerospace components often use high-performance materials such as titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys, CFRP, CMC, and ceramics, which are challenging to machine while maintaining both precision and efficiency. With its combined high energy density and effective cooling, WJGL enables accurate cutting with a reduced HAZ, minimizing deformation and property degradation and supporting reliability-critical parts.

2) Medical Devices

Medical-device manufacturing requires exceptional precision, cleanliness, and surface integrity for products such as minimally invasive instruments, implants, and diagnostic/therapeutic devices. By cooling and cleaning the machining zone with water flow, WJGL reduces thermal damage and surface contamination, improving consistency and supporting biocompatibility. It also enables precision fabrication of complex geometries for customized devices.

3) Electronics

In microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing, WJGL is widely used for wafer dicing, chip packaging, and micro-structuring due to its high precision and low thermal impact. Water cooling mitigates heat-induced damage to sensitive components, improving reliability and performance stability.

4) Diamond Machining

For diamond and other ultra-hard material parts, WJGL offers high-precision cutting and drilling with low thermal impact, minimal mechanical stress, high efficiency, and superior edge/surface quality. Compared with conventional mechanical methods and some laser techniques, WJGL is often more effective in preserving material integrity and suppressing defects.

Water-Jet Guided Laser (WJGL) FAQ

1) What is Water-Jet Guided Laser (WJGL) machining?

WJGL is a laser processing method in which the laser beam is coupled into a micro water jet. The water jet acts as both a beam-guiding medium and a cooling/debris-removal medium, enabling high precision with reduced thermal damage.

2) How does WJGL work?

WJGL relies on total internal reflection at the water–air interface. Because water and air have different refractive indices, the laser can be confined and guided within the water column—similar to a “liquid optical fiber”—and delivered stably to the machining zone.

3) Why does WJGL reduce the heat-affected zone (HAZ)?

The continuously flowing water removes heat efficiently due to its high heat capacity. This suppresses heat accumulation, reducing HAZ, distortion, and microcracking.