Water Jet Guided Laser Cutting Patents 2026
Water Jet Guided Laser Cutting Patents 2026
Water jet guided laser (WJGL) technology couples a focused laser beam into a pressurized micro-jet (25–250 µm) to eliminate heat-affected zones and recast layers. This dataset maps 40+ retrieved patent records spanning foundational IP, active filers, and 2023–2026 innovation vectors.
How Water Jet Guided Laser Cutting Works
WJGL operates by coupling a focused laser beam into a pressurized laminar water jet, where total internal reflection at the water-air interface confines the beam within the jet column. This produces a constant beam diameter over the jet’s working length, eliminating real-time focal distance adjustment and yielding parallel kerf walls with near-zero taper.
The foundational patent, Synova’s EP 0 762 947 B1, established the liquid-jet guided laser concept. Subsequent generations are documented in WO 99/56907, EP 1 269 535, and EP 2 189 236. The earliest retrieved US patent, filed by Synova S.A. in 1999, established the core coupling architecture that subsequent assignees have built upon.
Three principal sub-domains define the technology: optical-hydraulic coupling systems (nozzle-window assemblies and laser-to-jet alignment), process and control integration (real-time monitoring, inline optical feedback, CNC integration), and hybrid configurations (multi-beam coupling, coaxial annular gas assist, and high-power CW fiber laser scaling).
Among retrieved records, Avonisys AG leads with 8 filings in this dataset, followed by Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (CAS) with 7 filings in this dataset. Chinese academic and state institutions collectively represent the largest volume of recent filings, while RTX Corporation’s 4-filing cluster signals industrial aerospace integration interest.
Filing Trends and Technology Cluster Distribution
The WJGL patent dataset spans three innovation phases from 1999 to 2026. Foundational filings established coupling architecture, while the 2022–2026 maturity phase shows active closed-loop monitoring, hybrid jet architectures, and emerging application extensions.
Patent Filing Distribution by Technology Cluster (Dataset Snapshot)
In this dataset, optical-hydraulic coupling and process control clusters account for the highest patent density, with hybrid jet architectures and CNC process management representing the most recent active filing zones.
↗ Click bars to exploreWJGL Patent Filings by Innovation Phase (Retrieved Records)
In this dataset, the 2022–2026 maturity phase shows 9 patents published in 2023 or later, with the development phase (2014–2021) generating the broadest assignee diversity across US, EP, and CN jurisdictions.
↗ Click bars to exploreKey Application Domains for WJGL Technology
WJGL has been validated across aerospace superalloys, semiconductor wafer dicing, composite materials, and emerging domains including underwater processing and thermal barrier coating removal, as documented in retrieved patents and literature.
Aerospace and Gas Turbine Manufacturing
WJGL produces recast layer thicknesses of approximately 30 µm on nickel superalloy, with cycle times of ~3 seconds for 0.7 mm angular cooling holes. Studies on Haynes 188, Inconel 718, Inconel 625, Rene 41, and Ti-6Al-4V confirm near-elimination of dross, burr, taper, and recast layer versus conventional laser systems. RTX Corporation’s 2023–2025 filing cluster specifically targets aerospace component machining with closed-loop monitoring, and Avonisys AG’s 2019 WO patent claims back-wall protection during through-bore drilling in turbine blade cavities.
Precision DrillingSemiconductor and Microelectronics
WJGL’s sub-100 µm kerf width and parallel wall geometry make it applicable to wafer dicing and semiconductor scribing. The Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (CAS) multi-beam device family (2021, 2024, CN) and the China Machinery General Institute Harbin Welding Research Institute (2023, CN) both explicitly cite semiconductor micromachining as a target application domain in their patent filings.
Semiconductor ScribingComposite and Hard Materials
A 2018 literature study on CFRP surface integrity and a 2023 study on high-power WJGL groove machining of CFRP confirm reduced HAZ and delamination versus conventional laser cutting. A 2023 literature investigation on coaxial-annulus-argon-assisted WJGL documents the method’s application to ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and CVD diamond. The Henan Provincial Academy of Sciences Laser Manufacturing Research Institute’s 2025 CN patent explicitly targets cultured diamond cutting, noting WJGL’s 25–100 mm adjustable working distance.
Hard Material CuttingEmerging Domains: Underwater and Coatings
Changfei Optical Fiber (Wuhan) Technology Co., Ltd. filed a 2026 CN patent for underwater WJGL processing equipment, extending the technology to subsea and nuclear decommissioning environments. Suzhou Zhongke Yucheng Laser Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. filed a 2023 CN patent for WJGL machining of metal parts with thermal barrier coatings (TBC). A 2022 literature study documented WJGL principles applied to resin-based coating removal, showing reduced recast layer formation compared to conventional quasi-continuous laser cleaning.
Emerging ApplicationsKey Patent Assignees in Water Jet Guided Laser — Dataset Snapshot
In this dataset, Avonisys AG (8 filings) and Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, CAS (7 filings) are the most prolific active filers in retrieved records. Synova SA holds the foundational IP lineage with 5 retrieved filings spanning 1999–2022, while Chinese academic and state institutions collectively represent the largest volume of recent filings in this dataset.
Top Assignees by Filing Count — WJGL (Dataset Snapshot)
↗ Click bars to exploreAvonisys AG
Avonisys AG is the most prolific active filer in Western IP jurisdictions with 8 filings in this dataset, spanning US and EP filings between 2014 and 2022. Key patents cover laser-jet coupling geometry (2014, 2022, US), workpiece surface liquid accumulation management (2015, US; 2020, EP), multi-beam slot machining (2016, US), and angular bore drilling with back-wall protection (2019, WO). Avonisys has constructed a dense IP layer around Synova’s foundational coupling architecture, with multiple active and granted family members.
Switzerland / USNingbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, CAS
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, holds 7 filings in this dataset covering CN filings from 2018 to 2024. Key patents include a 2018 CN device for beam adjustment to offset the focal point from the jet axis to homogenize power distribution, a 2021 CN multi-beam jet-coupled device for increased energy delivery, and a 2024 CN updated processing device and system. Semiconductor micromachining and composite material processing are cited as primary target application domains.
China — CNSix Active Innovation Vectors in WJGL (2023–2026)
Among filings with publication dates of 2023 or later in this dataset, six vectors are active: closed-loop in-process monitoring, annular and multi-mode gas-water hybrid jets, high-power WJGL scaling, underwater processing, diamond and superhard material cutting, and simplified alignment and calibration tooling.
Closed-Loop In-Process Monitoring
RTX Corporation filed inline optical feedback machines (2023, US/EP) and in-line camera microjet devices (2025, US/EP), using an LED light source whose delivery path is coincident with the laser optical path, enabling inline process state detection without external sensors. The 2025 EP filing adds multiple circumferential cameras around the nozzle assembly for continuous visual monitoring of feature formation. These filings signal a transition from open-loop cutting to adaptive, sensor-integrated WJGL systems for aerospace qualification.
Annular and Multi-Mode Gas-Water Hybrid Jets
The Harbin Welding Institute Limited Company’s 2025 US patent combines an annular water curtain with the primary guided jet to simultaneously improve cooling, debris removal, and jet working-length stability for high-end aerospace and semiconductor applications. The China Machinery General Institute Harbin Welding Research Institute’s 2023 CN patent addresses jet diameter and stable working length through multiple water-gas composite flow modes. Both approaches target extension of the jet’s conventional ~10 mm depth ceiling.
WJGL vs. Conventional Dry Laser Cutting
Click any row to explore further.
| Dimension | Water Jet Guided Laser (WJGL) | Conventional Dry Laser Cutting |
|---|---|---|
| Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) | Near-eliminated; water jet provides continuous cooling | Dominant drawback; significant thermal damage to workpiece |
| Recast Layer Thickness | ~30 µm on nickel superalloy (retrieved literature, 2022) | Substantially higher recast layer; requires post-processing |
| Kerf Taper | Near-zero taper; parallel kerf walls due to constant beam diameter | Taper present; beam diverges with working distance |
| Working Depth of Field | Beyond 50 mm; adjustable 25–100 mm cited for diamond cutting | Limited by Rayleigh length of focused beam |
| Debris Deposition | Eliminated; water jet flushes debris continuously | Debris deposition on workpiece surface documented |
| Jet Diameter / Kerf Width | 25–250 µm nozzle; sub-100 µm kerf achievable | Kerf width dependent on beam focus and assist gas |
| Cooling Hole Cycle Time | ~3 seconds for 0.7 mm angular holes in nickel superalloy | Typically longer with additional recast removal steps |
| Material Compatibility | Nickel superalloys, Ti-6Al-4V, CFRP, CMC, CVD diamond, TBC-coated parts | Broad, but HAZ limits applicability for heat-sensitive materials |
Frequently Asked Questions: Water Jet Guided Laser Cutting Patents
WJGL is a hybrid precision machining technology that couples a focused laser beam into a thin, high-pressure water jet (typically 25–250 µm in diameter), guiding the beam to the workpiece via total internal reflection at the water-air interface. This eliminates heat-affected zones, recast layers, taper, and debris deposition, while extending the working depth of field beyond 50 mm.
Synova SA (Switzerland) holds the foundational IP lineage, including EP 0 762 947 B1 and the earliest US patent filed in 1999 covering the core coupling architecture. Subsequent generations are documented in WO 99/56907, EP 1 269 535, and EP 2 189 236.
In this dataset, Avonisys AG leads with 8 filings covering coupling optics and surface liquid management, followed by Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (CAS) with 7 filings focused on multi-beam architectures. Synova SA has 5 retrieved filings, RTX Corporation has 4, and Harbin Welding Institute and Harbin Institute of Technology each have 3 in retrieved records.
Based on retrieved records, the primary applications are: aerospace and gas turbine component drilling (turbine blade cooling holes, nickel superalloys), semiconductor wafer dicing and scribing, composite material machining (CFRP and CMC), medical device component manufacturing, surface coating removal, and emerging applications including underwater processing and thermal barrier coating machining.
According to retrieved literature (2022), WJGL produces recast layer thicknesses of approximately 30 µm on nickel superalloy, with cycle times of approximately 3 seconds for 0.7 mm angular cooling holes, outperforming conventional laser drilling techniques.
Based on filings published 2023 or later in this dataset: (1) closed-loop in-process monitoring (RTX Corporation, 2023–2025); (2) annular and multi-mode gas-water hybrid jets (Harbin Welding Institute, 2025); (3) high-power CW laser scaling research; (4) underwater WJGL processing (Changfei Optical Fiber, 2026); (5) cultured diamond cutting (Henan Provincial Academy of Sciences, 2025); and (6) simplified calibration tooling for commercial deployment (Shanghai Lengchen Technology, 2024).
Data and insights on this page are based on a limited patent and literature dataset and are for reference only. Figures may not represent the complete technology landscape.