An experimental study of abrasive waterjet deep hole drilling on Inconel 718

Abstract

Inconel 718 is the most dominant alloy to manufacture 50% of aerospace components due to its excellent oxidation resistance, and good corrosion and erosion resistance across a wide range of temperatures. These aerospace components require small and micro-holes with high aspect ratios for specific functions. Among all the modern manufacturing processes, Abrasive Waterjet Machining (AWJM) is gaining popularity to produce such holes with its superior potential to machine all kinds of materials in the absence of heat and with minimum damage to the work surfaces. This research work attempted to study the output responses, namely material removal rate, kerf geometry, and surface roughness viz constant water pressure, varied Stand-Off Distance (SOD), and Abrasive Mass Flow Rate (AMFR). This research reveals that AWJM has excellent potential to make deep holes on Inconel 718 with the following outcomes; the material removal rate has been increased with increased mass flow rate and the kerf angle and surface roughness of the drilled holes have been decreased with the increased mass flow rate.