WardJet Z-2543
Key Specifications
Accuracy
Repeatability
footprint
cutting area
cutting area two carriages
software
How much does the WardJet Z-2543 cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a cnc waterjet cutting in this class — not a quote from WardJet. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The WARDJet Z-2543 is a gantry waterjet with an 8.2' x 13.1' (2.5 m x 4 m) cutting area when it runs one carriage, ball screw drive in all axes and room on the gantry for up to 7 Z carriages. WARDJet gives its footprint as 11' x 18.7' (3.35 m x 5.7 m).
Ball screws on every axis are the mechanical point to note. On a table 13.1' (4 m) long many gantry machines switch to a rack for the long travel; this one does not. WARDJet lists positioning accuracy of ± 0.003" per axis (± 0.08 mm per axis) and repeatability of ± 0.001" per axis (± 0.03 mm per axis). Those figures say where the carriage goes. The edge of the part also depends on jet taper, feed and nozzle wear, which no table states.
Carriage count is the production lever. With up to 7 Z carriages on the gantry, a nest of identical parts can be cut several at a time, and each added head needs water and abrasive of its own. WARDJet's table has a separate cutting-area row for two carriages, 8.2' x 14.1' (2.5 m x 4.31 m), so ask for the envelope that applies to the head count you intend to order. Abrasive comes from an 1100 lb pressurized bulk feed hopper, a size that suits long multi-head runs.
The utility figures cover the gantry only: 230V, 30 amps, 3 Phase, plus 80 psi, 2 cfm (5.52 bar, 0.06 cmm) of air. The pump is a separate supply and the table gives no pump pressure or power, so the electrical plan isn't complete until the pump is chosen. Software is listed as Ikuhlu, WARDCAM, IGEMS.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Floor Space Required | 11' x 18.7' (3.35 m x 5.7 m) |
| Cutting Area | 8.2' x 13.1' (2.5 m x 4 m), one carriage |
| Cutting Area Two Carriages | 8.2' x 14.1' (2.5 m x 4.31 m) |
| Software | Ikuhlu, WARDCAM, IGEMS |
| Power Requirements Gantry Only | 230V, 30 amps, 3 Phase |
| Air Requirements | 80 psi, 2 cfm (5.52 bar, 0.06 cmm) |
| Max Number of Z Carriages | 7 |
| Bulk Feed Hopper | 1100 lb pressurized |
| Drive Mechanism | Ball screw driven in all axes |
| Positioning Accuracy | ± 0.003" per axis (± 0.08 mm per axis) |
| Repeatability | ± 0.001" per axis (± 0.03 mm per axis) |
Specifications sourced from wardjet.com — verified 2026-10-06
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Ball screw driven in all axes, including the 13.1' (4 m) length of the cutting area
- Repeatability of ± 0.001" per axis (± 0.03 mm per axis) with positioning accuracy of ± 0.003" per axis (± 0.08 mm per axis)
- Up to 7 Z carriages on the gantry for cutting identical parts together
- 1100 lb pressurized bulk feed hopper for abrasive
- Gantry needs only 230V, 30 amps, 3 Phase and 80 psi, 2 cfm (5.52 bar, 0.06 cmm) of air
Limitations
- No pump pressure or pump power is in the table, so cutting capacity depends on a pump specified separately
- The listed power requirement of 230V, 30 amps, 3 Phase is for the gantry only; the pump's supply comes on top
- The cutting area is stated per carriage count, 8.2' x 13.1' (2.5 m x 4 m) with one carriage, so the envelope has to be confirmed for the configuration ordered
- No Z travel, rapid rate or cutting thickness is listed
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
8.2' x 13.1' (2.5 m x 4 m) with one carriage. WARDJet lists a second figure for two carriages, 8.2' x 14.1' (2.5 m x 4.31 m). The machine's footprint is 11' x 18.7' (3.35 m x 5.7 m), before the pump and the space needed to load plate.
02
The maximum number of Z carriages is 7. Several carriages raise output only when each one cuts the same part, and every added head increases the water and abrasive the machine uses, so the pump has to be sized for the head count.
03
WARDJet lists positioning accuracy of ± 0.003" per axis (± 0.08 mm per axis) and repeatability of ± 0.001" per axis (± 0.03 mm per axis). All axes are ball screw driven.
04
For the gantry only: 230V, 30 amps, 3 Phase, and air at 80 psi, 2 cfm (5.52 bar, 0.06 cmm). The pump is not part of that figure and no pump data is in the table, so get the pump's electrical and water requirements with the quotation.
05
The software row lists Ikuhlu, WARDCAM, IGEMS. The table does not say which of them is supplied as standard, so confirm the package and what it covers, such as nesting or multi-carriage programming, when specifying the machine.
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