Waterjet Stripping
Safe, Effective, Smart Coating Removal
For the toughest coating removal challenges, ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) waterjet stripping does what chemical baths and mechanical methods can’t — it lifts coatings cleanly off the part without touching the base material. Waterjet induces a shearing force greater than the coating’s strength limit, so soft and hard deposits alike release efficiently and safely.
Shape Process Automation pairs decades of UHP process expertise with fully integrated, production-ready systems to bring this capability to North American manufacturers.
Why Choose Waterjet Stripping?
- Zero base-material damage: Coatings are removed by Liquid Force™ alone, preserving the substrate and extending part life across repeated repair cycles.
- No chemicals, no toxic waste: The process uses only pure water — recycled in a closed loop — eliminating chemical handling, hazardous waste streams, and the working conditions that come with them.
- Up to 10x faster than chemical removal: Dramatically shorter cycle times cut cost per part and free up capacity.
- Reaches what other methods cannot: Rotary jet delivery accesses even the hardest-to-reach coated surfaces.
Key Features of Our Stripping Systems
At the heart of the system is the Aqualance™ — a highly reliable, extremely efficient rotary tool with multiple jet options so the right configuration is always matched to your part. With a 1,500-hour interval between major maintenance, the Aqualance delivers up to 5x the service life of competitive systems, keeping production running with less downtime.
From thermal barrier coatings and other hard deposits to resins, adhesives, and rubbers, our stripping solutions remove tough coatings fast — as standard systems or customized to your production needs.
- Aqualance rotary stripping tool with selectable jet options
- 1,500 hours between major maintenance — up to 5x competitive lifetime
- Advanced process monitoring across the entire cycle for consistent performance
- Removes soft and hard deposits, including thermal barrier coatings, resins, adhesives, rubbers, and more
- Closed-loop pure-water process with no chemical inputs
Nadcap-Ready Quality
Our waterjet stripping solutions are Nadcap-ready and built to strict process requirements. Part integrity is assured, traceability is fully managed and preserved, and systems ship with automated production reports and data storage, so every part’s processing history is documented end to end.
Stripping Applications
MRO for Aero Engine and IGT: Waterjet stripping is widely adopted by OEMs and approved in engine repair manuals for removing thermal spray coatings from commercial and military aero-engine components as well as industrial gas turbines.
- Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO): After a set number of cycles, turbines are dismantled and each coated component is stripped for inspection, repair, and recoating.
- Rework: When a coating fault is detected after spraying, the part is stripped so the coating can be reapplied.
Semiconductor: In wafer fabrication, deposition methods such as physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etch, diffusion, and ion implant leave buildup on chamber components that must be cleaned for refurbishment. Waterjet stripping is an effective alternative to chemical removal.
Across both applications, the payoff is the same: versatility on all coating-and-substrate combinations, far higher removal rates than chemical or manual methods, better part integrity and more repair cycles with no stock loss, and an eco-friendly, closed-loop process.
When Is Waterjet Stripping Right for You?
| Substrate | Bond Coat and/or Top Coat Materials | Spraying Method | Waterjet Stripping | Example of Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inconel Titanium Aluminide Stainless Steel Aluminum Steel |
Metal & Alloys MCrAIY M=Ni/Co/, CuNiln, NiFeCrSi |
Plasma Spray | Yes | HPT, Combustion Chambers |
| Ceramics Al2O3 TiO2, ZrO2 Y2O3 |
Plasma Spray EP-PVD | Yes | LPT, Spools | |
| Carbide WC Co, NiCr, Cr3C2 |
Plasma Spray HVOF | Yes | HPT, Advanced Mechanical Part | |
| Rubber | Molded | Yes | Vanes | |
| Abradable & Polymers AlSi-Polyester, AlSi Graphite |
Plasma Spray | Yes | Vanes |
How Does Ultrahigh-Pressure Waterjet Stripping Compare?
| Waterjet | Chemical | Standard Machining | |
| Removes oxides and non-metallic coatings | Yes | No | No |
| Capable of single part flow | Yes | No | Yes |
| Strips slightly deformed parts | Yes | Yes | No |
| Produces a clean surface | Yes | No | Yes |
| Process is stable and fully monitored | Yes | No | Yes |
| Alters the part being stripped | No | Yes | Yes |
| Requires dedicated fixtures | No | No | Yes |