Waterjet cutting case study: Foamex set pieces
Wednesday July 15, 2026
Royal Opera House set pieces for Don Quixote cut by waterjet
Client Sector: The arts
Material: 19mm Foamex panels
Sheet size: 3050mm x 1400mm
Hydromar has had the privilege over the years of working with the Royal Opera House on parts of their sets. These parts were waterjet cut for their performance of Don Quixote. Hydromar took the supplied artwork, generating CAD, sourcing material and undertaking the waterjet cutting, to deliver individual waterjet cut parts ready for painting and assembly.
Creation of the CAD file
Cleaning up the artwork
The first step in the process was the creation of a suitable CAD file. The amount of work on this varies depending on what we are supplied, from templates or artwork, through to ready to use CAD files. In this instance we were working from supplied artwork. While there are automated tools available, these often result in large numbers of polylines and errors rather than smooth arcs. The waterjet unlike some other cutting methods accelerates and decelerates on each entity or line. Numerous polylines where smooth true arcs can be used will not only result in a less smooth finished edge, but also results in increased cutting time on the waterjet and therefore increased cost.
Splitting the design to suit raw material size
Once we had finished cleaning up the overall CAD design, removing errors, closing any openings and replacing polylines with arcs it was time to break the design up to suit the available material size. While we offer a 4m x 2m cutting bed with our waterjet cutting service (and the possibility for even larger profiles), the customers chosen material came in panels measuring 3050mm x 1400mm. Upon confirming availability, lead time and price on the material and getting agreement from the customer, we split the design down to suit the panels. Breaking up the four large pieces measuring around 11m x 8m resulted in 58 panels to be cut.
Design split up to suit raw material size
Producing a key for assembly
We then took the individual pieces and placed them back together in a key showing the final waterjet cut parts that would be shipped. This was sent to the Royal Opera House for approval prior to ordering material, in case any required changes would affect the material required.
Key showing the 4 sections split up into 205 waterjet cut parts
Production
Preparation and scheduling
Following prompt approval of our design work from our customer, material was ordered. However, due to the material arriving from Europe it had a longer than usual lead time. To ensure no delay in meeting our customers tight lead time, we ensured that all of the waterjet cutting programmes and paperwork was in order so we could begin cutting as soon as the material arrived.
Using our forklift to unload the first delivery of Foamex panels
Waterjet cutting
Upon arrival of the material we set about waterjet cutting the profiles. In line with our ISO9001 quality system, all parts were checked as they were cut, before being cleaned off and labelled up to match the key supplied to the customer. As with many projects, the actual waterjet cutting, given our teams decades of experience, is often the most straight forward part. Once all parts had been cut, cleaned, labelled and checked, a final additional check was carried out, with the parts laid out per the key prior to palletising them for shipping.
Time lapse showing Hydromar staff assembling one of the set pieces
Following this, all parts were carefully palletised and shipped out to the Royal Opera House workshop for them to work their magic prior to their debut on stage.
The final set on stage at the Royal Opera House
Do you have a similar project for our waterjet cutting service?
At Hydromar we can cut from your supplied CAD files, or like in this case, work with you, from the artwork or initial concept stage through to the finished project. We love seeing your ideas take shape, just like these set pieces for Don Quixote, or seeing a small scale model come to life like we did for the set of Robert Le Diable also for the Royal Opera House. Why not get in touch and see how we can help?
Scale concept model of the Robert Le Diable set
