A waterjet pump or nozzle should be checked and maintained regularly. How often this is required depends on the working pressure, operating hours, water quality and the type of application. In the food industry, we recommend carrying out daily visual checks and planning preventive maintenance before production loss occurs.

The nozzle is a wear part. When the jet becomes less powerful, the cutting or cleaning result decreases, the water jet becomes wider or the pressure starts to fluctuate, this is often a sign that the nozzle is worn or contaminated. Even minor damage can lead to higher water consumption, reduced efficiency and additional load on the pump.

For the pump itself, it is important to periodically check seals, valves, filters and high-pressure components. Leaks should be repaired immediately. With intensive use, maintenance may be required more frequently. Clean water, proper filtration and timely replacement of wear parts extend the service life of both the pump and the nozzle.

Practical guideline:

Request a tailor-made maintenance plan from Cinnova and prevent unexpected downtime in your production process.

Poor cutting quality or ragged cuts are usually caused by wear, contamination or incorrect adjustment of the waterjet system. The nozzle plays a particularly important role in this. When the nozzle is worn, damaged or partially blocked, the water jet becomes less focused and loses cutting power. As a result, the cut may become uneven, ragged or less accurate.

Low or fluctuating working pressure can also lead to poorer cutting results. This can be caused by contaminated filters, leaks, worn seals, valve problems or insufficient water supply. In the food industry, a constant and powerful water jet is essential for clean, efficient and hygienic cutting.

Cutting speed, the distance between the nozzle and the product, water quality and the condition of the high-pressure components can also affect the final result. If the machine moves too fast or the nozzle is positioned too far from the product, the jet may lose power before cutting through the product properly.

Common causes:

When cutting quality decreases, always check the nozzle, filters, pressure and possible leaks first. This helps prevent unnecessary downtime and keeps the cutting process reliable.

Cinnova supplies parts and support to keep your waterjet system performing at its best in the food industry.

Pressure loss in a water cutting system can have several causes. In most cases, pressure loss is caused by wear, contamination, leakage or insufficient water supply. Because a water cutting system operates under high pressure, even a small issue can directly affect cutting quality, speed and process reliability.

A common cause is a worn or damaged orifice. When the orifice opening becomes larger due to wear, the system can no longer maintain the set pressure as effectively. The water jet becomes wider and less powerful, reducing the cutting result. Contamination in the orifice or filters can also cause irregular water flow and pressure fluctuations.

Leaks in high-pressure lines, high-pressure hoses, fittings, seals or valves are also major causes of pressure loss. Even small leaks can lead to reduced cutting power and additional load on the pump. Leaks should therefore always be repaired immediately.

Pressure loss can also be caused by insufficient water supply, contaminated filters, worn seals, damaged valves or problems with the high-pressure pump. In the food industry, stable pressure is essential for a clean, accurate and hygienic cutting process.

Common causes of pressure loss:

When pressure loss occurs, always check the orifice, filters, leaks and water supply first. By replacing wear parts on time and maintaining the system regularly, you prevent downtime and keep cutting quality consistent.

Cinnova supplies parts and support for water cutting systems in the food industry.

For food waterjet cutting, water quality is an important part of both food safety and machine reliability. When the water comes into direct or indirect contact with food, it must at least meet drinking water quality. This is also referred to as potable water or water intended for human consumption.

In the food industry, water must not create a risk of product contamination. It should therefore be microbiologically safe and free from harmful contamination. This includes bacteria, unwanted chemical substances, particles, abnormal odour, colour or taste, and contamination from pipes, tanks or storage systems.

Across Europe, general European requirements apply to drinking water quality, but the practical implementation and local water quality can differ by country and region. Water in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Norway or Greece may differ in hardness, mineral content, limescale, chlorine level, iron, sediment or microbiological load. Islands or remote locations may require extra attention, because water may come from tanks, desalination, wells or local storage systems.

For the cutting process itself, food safety is not the only important factor. The technical quality of the water is also critical. Excessive limescale, sand, iron, particles or organic contamination can cause wear to the pump, valves, seals, filters and orifice. Proper water treatment and filtration extend system life and help maintain consistent cutting quality.

Key water quality considerations:

In practice, we recommend always starting with drinking water quality and then checking whether additional filtration, softening or water treatment is required for the pump and cutting process. This is especially important for international installations, because water quality can vary significantly from one location to another.

For food safety, water quality should be included in the producer’s HACCP plan or food safety plan. When in doubt, a water analysis is recommended to confirm that the water is suitable for food contact and for use in the waterjet system.

Cinnova can help assess the right parts, filtration and maintenance approach for food waterjet cutting applications.

More information:
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 – Hygiene of foodstuffs
Directive (EU) 2020/2184 – Quality of water intended for human consumption
European Commission – Food Contact Materials

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/852/oj/

For a water cutting system in the food industry, it is recommended to keep critical wear parts and commonly used maintenance parts in stock. This helps prevent unnecessary downtime in case of pressure loss, leakage, reduced cutting quality or wear.

Which spare parts are required depends on the pump type, working pressure, operating hours, water quality and application. However, there are several parts that are useful to have in almost every technical stock.

Recommended spare parts for water cutting systems:

For companies with a continuous production process, we recommend keeping at least a basic stock of wear parts. This mainly includes orifices, filters, seals, O-rings and valve components. With intensive use or critical production, a more extensive stock is recommended so that maintenance can be carried out immediately.

A good spare parts stock reduces the risk of unexpected downtime, shortens maintenance time and helps maintain consistent cutting quality. It also gives technical teams more certainty: parts are immediately available when preventive or corrective maintenance is required.

Cinnova can help put together a tailor-made spare parts package based on your pump, application and production process. In addition, Cinnova can support periodic maintenance, inspections and technical service.

For extra certainty, it is possible to set up a maintenance contract or service contract. This allows maintenance to be planned more effectively, wear parts to be checked on time and unexpected downtime to be reduced as much as possible. Depending on your location, application and production process, Cinnova can help determine the right service approach, so your water cutting system continues to perform reliably with minimal downtime.

This ensures that, wherever you are located, you have access to suitable support, the right spare parts and a service solution that matches your production environment.