Method for controlling water jet shape

A method for controlling water jet shape. An orifice holding spring disk is provided. The spring disk is utilized to retain orifice(s) against a smooth flat platen surface. The spring disk includes an inlet flow conditioning nozzle, which flow conditioning nozzle may be provided in (a) a flow collimating configuration to produce a coherent flow waterjet, or (b) in a de-collimating configuration to produce a divergent waterjet, or (c) in a neutral configuration. The selected spring disc configuration also has an annular outer ring, one or more through-holes, and counterbores to form one or more wells in the spring disk. The wells are slightly larger in diameter than the particular orifice(s) to be mounted and slightly shallower (in the water flow direction) than the thickness of the orifice. A nozzle cap compresses the platen and spring disc against a high pressure inlet tube. The outer diameter of the spring disk is forced to flex to the cap surface while the center portion is restrained by the orifice that is resting on the platen.