Waterjet systems and methods

A waterjet system, comprising:

• a pump configured to pump pressurized fluid;
• an electric motor configured to drive the pump;
• a hopper configured to store abrasive;
• a mixing chamber configured to mix abrasive from the hopper and the fluid from the pump to produce a slurry;
• a cutting bed configured to receive a workpiece to be cut;
• a cutting head, including an outlet nozzle, in downstream fluid communication from the mixing chamber, the cutting head configured to expel the slurry through the outlet nozzle as a high-velocity jet into the cutting bed;
• a first valve configured to start and stop flow of the abrasive from the hopper;
• a motion system configured to move the cutting head relative to the cutting bed, and configured to move the cutting head relative to one or more of the following:
• the first valve and the hopper;
• and
• a second, high-pressure valve located along a flow path of the fluid, between the pump and the cutting head to start and stop fluid flow to the cutting head;
• wherein the motion system is a linear motion system controlled by one or more controllers;
• wherein the second, high-pressure valve is controlled by the one or more controllers;
• wherein the motion system is configured to move the cutting head relative to the second, high-pressure valve.