Abrasive Water Jet Technology Research Articles

Experimental study on optimization of abrasive water jet process parameters

Abstract In order to improve the mining speed of coal mine roadway and fundamentally solve the problem of mining imbalance, the abrasive water jet technology is used to cut rocks in front of mechanical tools to achieve efficient improvement of coal mine roadway mining efficiency. Based on the existing high pressure pure water jet test equipment, the abrasive water jet test platform was built, and the uniaxial compressive strength of soft and hard rock was obtained by testing the rock mechanical properties. The effect of jet pressure, target distance, transverse velocity and jet impact Angle on rock cutting is studied by using control variable method. According to the single factor test analysis, L16 (44) four-factor four-level orthogonal test analysis table is selected to carry out orthogonal tests on granite and sandstone respectively. The results of range analysis and variance analysis show that the main and secondary relationships of abrasive water jet factors are as follows: transverse velocity > jet pressure > jet inclination > target distance. The optimal jet parameters are when jet pressure is 40 MPa, target distance is 5mm, transverse velocity is 2mm/s and jet inclination is 10°.

Analysis and optimization of abrasive waterjet dressing parameters for surface texturing of diamond grinding wheels

With the development of ultra-precision machining technology, the grinding performance of diamond grinding wheels has put forward higher requirements. In this study, a new method of dressing diamond grinding wheels using abrasive waterjet (AWJ) technology is proposed to address the issues of workpiece damage and wheel clogging that occur when grinding difficult-to-machine materials with conventional diamond grinding wheels. The main process parameters were determined based on the theoretical model for dressing diamond grinding wheels using AWJ. The response surface methodology (RSM) and the backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) were employed to establish regression models between process parameters and microgroove characteristics. A comparison was performed to evaluate the prediction performance of both RSM and BP-ANN. The results indicated that both approaches BP-ANN and RSM are powerful tools for predicting microgroove characteristics. This work provides theoretical guidance for texturing diamond wheels surface.

Topography of textured surfaces using an abrasive-water jet technology

Surface texturing is a technique that allows for the shaping of surface topography to meet various mechanical and tribological requirements. Abrasive-water jet (AWJ) technology is a promising approach to surface texturing, offering minimal heat impact, flexibility, and compatibility with complex surface geometries. High-pressure abrasive-water jet (AWJ) technology, as an innovative and versatile approach, significantly expands the possibilities of surface texturing for materials. Its advantages, such as precision, minimal thermal impact, sustainability, and a wide range of industrial applications, make it an attractive solution across various sectors. With continuous development and integration with modern digital technologies, AWJ is becoming an increasingly practical and cutting-edge tool in surface processing. The abrasive-water jet texturing process also affects surface geometry during the mating of components, which may be significant in reducing wear. The aim of the research was to determine the feasibility of obtaining specific structures on the surface of 304/1.4301 steel using abrasive-water jet technology. Results show that the highest load-bearing ratio of Smrk1 peaks, approximately 25%, was achieved at a texturing speed of 0.803 m/min. Conversely, the lowest load-bearing ratio of Smrk1 peaks, below 10%, was achieved at a texturing speed of 1.948 m/min. Grinding the surface after texturing increases its load-bearing capacity, leading to a twofold increase in the ability to maintain an oil layer. The obtained results may find application in various fields where controlling surface geometry is essential for improving material functionality and efficiency.

Influence of AWJ Process Parameters on Erosion Groove Formation in Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel.

The presented manuscript focuses on the influence of process parameters of abrasive water jet technology on the creation of non-transient erosive grooves. The processed stainless steel SS 316L is additively manufactured using the selective laser melting (SLM) method. Due to the distinct mechanical properties of this material resulting from the production process, the material was machined in two planes according to the direction of the printing layers. The experimental part employed a planned experiment utilizing the DoE (Design of Experiment) method. Experiments aimed at varying process parameters (traverse speed, standoff distance, abrasive mass flow) were conducted at a water pressure of 50 MPa, assessing the parameters' impact on the removed material and the properties of the resulting non-transient erosion groove. The properties of the erosion groove, such as shape and the material removal (area of erosion groove), were evaluated. The influences of process parameters on the observed parameters were assessed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. Experiment preparation and setup were based on a thorough theoretical analysis of the machining process with the abrasive water jet (AWJ) method. The experiment also highlights the diverse properties of the SS 316L material prepared using the SLM method when machined with AWJ technology.

Topaz quartzolite (greisen) in North Bohemia – potential source of the natural abrasive

Topazolite (greisen) is a rock formed essential by quartz and topaz, with accessory white mica, tourmaline, sulphides (molybdenite and arsenopyrite), wolframite and cassiterite. This rock was found in the Krkonoše and Jizera Mountains in the western Sudetes. In Poland, this metasomatic rock occurs at the contact between leucogranite and mica schist (associated with hydrothermal kaolinization) in a narrow zone between the settlements of Rebiszow and Gierałtówek. On Czech territory, similar topaz quartzolite (greisen rock), consisting of up to 65 % quartz and 32 % topaz, was found near the settlements of Růžek and Vítkov near Chrastava in association with orthogneiss. The high content of topaz in this rock offers the possibility of using it as an abrasive in high-speed abrasive water jet technology for cutting and surface treatment of hard metallic and non-metallic materials. In the crushed form, after being concentrated in a treatment plant, topaz could be a natural abrasive with a wide range of applications. However, the results of technological testing of the physical and mineralogical characteristics of the topaz concentrate indicate its unfavorable properties caused by the high fissility of topaz. This leads to losses of topaz during its technological adjustment to the required grain size or during recycling. It has been shown that abrasive concentrates with topaz content above 90 % are promising, especially for special applications of abrasive water jet technology. Mastering the technology for processing of the source raw material, i.e. topaz quartzolite, into a topaz-rich concentrate, and subsequent applied research on the use of topaz abrasives in industry are crucial.

Influence of the cutting edge preparation of carbide punching tools for punching of ultra-high strength steel strips

In order to ensure a robust punching process of ultra-high strength steel spring strips using carbide punching tools, a high stability of the cutting edge is required. Here the cutting edge preparation process has a significant influence. In the presented study, high-pressure abrasive water jet technology for cutting edge preparation was designed, investigated and analysed. For defining the optimal cutting edge shape regarding stresses, a numerical analysis using LS-DYNA was conducted. Within this analysis, the influence of the cutting edge rounding and symmetry was numerically tested and evaluated. Based on the results, two cutting edge shapes were selected and prepared using the high-pressure abrasive water injection jet technology. The tools were applied in the punching process up to 50,000 strokes in order to analyse the cutting performance and tool wear. With regard to a highly wear resistant tool for punching, a combination of the abrasive water injection jet preparation routine and a CVD diamond coating are under further investigation and first insights are presented additionally.

Experimental study on the cutting performance of abrasive waterjet using steel slag as the particles

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) is a promising method owing to the advantages of non-thermal effect and high removal rate. However, the high consumption of garnet abrasive has limited the development of AWJ technology. In this study, steel slag, which is a typical solid waste, was used as abrasive particles instead of garnet for abrasive waterjet (GAWJ) cutting for the first time. Stainless steel was used as specimen in the experiments to estimate the machining performance of steel slag abrasive waterjet (SAWJ). The results showed that SAWJ produced a cutting wear zone (CWZ) and a striation zone (SZ) on the cross-section surface compared to GAWJ. It produces longer SZ with dense and shallow striations on the surface compared to GAWJ. The influence of process parameters on the kerf produced by GAWJ and SAWJ is almost the same. SAWJ creates a finer kerf, contributing to higher cutting accuracy and less waste of substrate material. For material removal rate and roughness, performance similar to GAWJ can also be achieved. The SEM image reveals that micro cutting and plowing are the main material removal mechanisms for SAWJ cutting stainless steel. The cutting efficiency of SAWJ is about 90 % that of GAWJ, but the cutting efficiency per unit price can reach more than 260 %. The substitution of abrasives using steel slag is expected to bring about a 45 % reduction in operating expenses for the AWJ factories, potentially generating $8.34 million in annual savings for the Chinese AWJ industry.

Optimization of the Morphology of the Removal Function for Rotating Abrasive Water Jet Polishing.

Abrasive water jet polishing has significant advantages in the manufacturing of complex optical components (such as high-slope optical component cavities) that require high-precision manufacturing. This is due to its processing process, in which the polishing tool does not make direct contact with the surface of the workpiece, and instead maintains a considerable distance. However, the removal functions of most existing abrasive water-jet polishing technologies do not possess strict symmetry, which significantly impacts the ability to correct surface figure errors. Therefore, this study implements rotating abrasive water-jet polishing based on traditional abrasive water jet processing to optimize the removal function, which turns it into a Gaussian form; thus, obtaining a type of removal function more suitable for CCOS polishing. This paper derives an empirical formula between the distance s' from the peak removal point of the removal function to the stagnation point and the nozzle tilt angle α, based on geometric relationships and experimental results, analyzes the relationship between material removal efficiency, nozzle tilt angle, and standoff distance. Finally, this paper verifies through experiments the validity of this empirical formula under different process parameters. Therefore, this study obtains the process conditions that allow rotating abrasive water-jet polishing technology to achieve a stable Gaussian form removal function, and the appropriate process parameters to be selected in conjunction with polishing efficiency; thereby, effectively improving the removal function's corrective ability and manufacturing efficiency. It provides theoretical support for the processing capability and process parameter selection of abrasive water-jet polishing technology, solves the problem of limited shaping capability of existing abrasive water jet tools, and significantly improves the manufacturing capability of high-end optical components.

Stress Relieving Heat Treatment of 316L Stainless Steel Made by Additive Manufacturing Process.

Residual stress occurs in the materials after different methods of processing due to the application of pressure and/or thermal gradient. The occurrence of residual stresses can be observed in both subtractive and additive-manufactured (AM) materials and objects. However, pressure residual stresses are considered, in some cases, to have a positive effect; there are applications where the neutral stress state is required. As there is a lack of standards describing the heat treatment of AM materials, there is a need for experimental research in this field. The objective of this article is to determine the heat treatment thermal regime to achieve close to zero stress state in the subsurface layer of additively manufactured AM316L stainless steel. The presented objective leads to the long-term goal of neutral etalons for eddy current residual stress testing preparation. A semi-product intended for the experiment was prepared using the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process and subsequently cut, using Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) technology, into experimental specimens, which were consequently heat-treated in combination with four temperatures and three holding times. Residual stresses were measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and microstructure variations were observed and examined. A combination of higher temperature and longer duration of heat treatment caused more significant stress relaxation, and the original stress state of the material influenced a degree of this relaxation. The microstructure formed of cellular grains changed slightly in the form of grain growth with randomly occurring unmolten powder particles, porosity, and inclusion precipitation.

Determination of the Feasibility of Using Eco-Friendly Walnut Shell Abrasive Particles for Pocket Milling of Titanium Workpieces by Abrasive Waterjet Technology

Abrasive waterjet technology is nowadays a well established non-conventional method with significant capabilities for material removal with high productivity and minimum environmental impact compared to other processes. However, in order to be in line with the green transition directives, further steps are required to ensure the sustainability of manufacturing processes and reduce the risk of material depletion by employing recyclable materials. For this purpose, an eco-friendly abrasive material such as walnut shell is employed for pocket machining of a titanium alloy workpiece. Due to the relatively low hardness of this material, compared to common abrasive materials such as garnet or alumina, it is required to determine the appropriate range of process parameters in order to obtain high-quality pockets with high productivity. Thus, in this work, a comprehensive experimental study is conducted in order to determine the effect of various process parameters on pocket depth, pocket width, material removal rate, flatness and parallelism error of produced pockets. The results prove the feasibility of using walnut shell as abrasive material for pocket milling, although MRR is almost an order of magnitude lower than the values commonly obtained for usual abrasives. Moreover, it is not recommended to use jet pressure values over 250 MPa so dimensional accuracy, flatness and parallelism error are maintained in acceptable values.

Graffiti removal from granite cladding by abrasive water-jet

This study focuses on the assessment of a graffiti removal system based on abrasive water-jet technology (AWJ). Spray paints were applied on samples of an important Italian granite commercially-named as “Rosa Limbara”. This granite has been used worldwide as dimension stone for paving and cladding. Two different commercial abrasives have been added in the high-pressure water-jet in order to clean the granite saw-plane surfaces from graffiti. After a check by the naked eye, different criteria have been chosen for assessing the effectiveness of the cleaning process: the similarity in roughness (Ra, Rz, and Rmax) between the original surface and the one resulted after cleaning, the total colour difference (ΔE) and the depth of material removed by the AWJ action. The tests showed that excellent cleaning results can be achieved with both abrasives by correctly combining the operational parameters of the technology (i.e., water pressure, spacing between passes, stand-off distance, travel speed and abrasive flow-rate) without giving any damage to the stone material. The two abrasives showed good results in total colour difference although one of them gave better results in both roughness difference and material removal. Economic considerations on paint removal with AWJ technology are also offered.

Research Progress in Abrasive Water Jet Processing Technology.

Abrasive water jet machining technology is an unconventional special process technology; its jet stream has high energy, and its machining process is characterized by no thermal deformation, no pollution, high applicability, and high flexibility. It has been widely used for processing different types of materials in different fields. This review elaborates on the basic principles and characteristics of abrasive water jet processing, the mechanism of erosion, the simulation of the processing, the influence of process parameters in machining removal, and the optimization of improvements, as well as introduces the current application status, new technology, and future development direction of abrasive water jet technology. This review can provide an important information reference for researchers studying the machining processing of abrasive water jet technology.

Green Machining of NFRP Material

Nowadays, great emphasis is placed on environmental aspects of production processes with focus to lower carbon footprint. Natural fibre-reinforced plastics (NFRP) show potential for application in many fields of industry due their specific properties. Machining of NFRP-based materials is meeting several problems arising from non-homogenous structure as well as plastic-based matrix. Machining of NFRP using conventional technologies meets limitations due to the properties and geometry of the tools. Abrasive water jet (AWJ) machining can solve some of the problems machining NFRP materials. The presented article focused on surface topography evaluation of one kind of NFRP composite material after cutting by AWJ. Optical profilometry and 3D microscopy were applied for measurement of surface roughness parameters of surfaces created by AWJ with variable cutting parameters. Maximal height of profile Rz was measured in 20 lines perpendicular to the jet direction form upper to lower cut line. Structure of cut surface was observed and evaluated for different technologic parameters. The obtained results show promising presuppositions for application of AWJ technology for cutting of NFRP based materials.

Roughness Control of Surfaces Using a Laser Profilometer with the Selected Material Cutting Technology.

The article aims to assess the roughness of parting surfaces in the context of abrasive water jet technology for various materials. The evaluation is based on the feed speed of the cutting head, which is adjusted to achieve the desired final roughness, taking into consideration the stiffness of the material being cut. We used non-contact and contact methods to measure selected parameters of the roughness of the dividing surfaces. The study included two materials-namely, structural steel material S235JRG1 and aluminum alloy AW 5754. In addition to the above, the study involved using a cutting head with varying feed rates to achieve different surface roughness levels required by customers. The roughness parameters Ra and Rz of the cut surfaces were measured using a laser profilometer (laser profilometer). To ensure the accuracy of the laser profilometer, a control roughness measurement was conducted using a contact roughness gauge. The roughness values obtained for Ra and Rz from both measurement methods were plotted on a graph to illustrate their dependencies and were subsequently evaluated and compared. By measuring the roughness parameters Ra and Rz, the study was able to provide insights into the effectiveness of the cutting head's feed rates in achieving the desired roughness levels. Additionally, by comparing the results of the laser profilometer and contact roughness gauge, the accuracy of the measurement non-contact method used in the study was verified.

Evaluating the efficacy of recycled garnet abrasives in enhancing hard rock cutting performance of abrasive waterjet systems

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) systems represent an emerging technology for hard rock cutting in urban underground spaces, offering low vibration and precise cutting performance. However, the high consumption of abrasives, which accounts for approximately 60% of the total cutting cost, presents a practical limitation for AWJ systems. Recycling used abrasives is a potential approach to improve the economic feasibility of AWJ technology for commercial applications. This study investigates the effects of abrasive recycling on granite specimens, using cutting performance metrics such as depth and volume. Additionally, the optimal particle size for reusability was determined through abrasive particle size analysis. The results reveal that a 40%–60% recycled garnet mixture is the optimal abrasive mixing ratio for AWJ rock cutting, potentially enhancing the cost-effectiveness of AWJ projects.

Optimization of Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) cutting process accuracy

This paper aims to optimize the accuracy of the Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) cutting process. The AWJ technology is a fast-growing production technology that competes with conventional machining methods due to its ability to cut various materials and conduct precise cutting of complex contours. In this research, the AWJ cutting process was tested on 18CrNiMo7-6 steel using almandine garnet type J80A as the abrasive material. The Taguchi method was used to optimize the process parameters. As control parameters chosen abrasive flow rate, pressure, and traverse speed. The output parameters measured were surface roughness and taper angle. The results shown managed to find the optimal combinations of control process parameters causing the lowest surface roughness and taper angle. The study provides insights into how the Taguchi method can be used to optimize the AWJ cutting process to achieve greater accuracy.

Predictive modeling approach for the jet lag in multi-pass cutting of thick materials using abrasive waterjet

Machining thick materials and freeform surfaces using abrasive waterjet (AWJ) is a limited approach owing to the jet lag effect. Here, we propose a machining strategy for multi-pass cutting wherein each forward cutting pass has the same starting position and fixed cutting parameters. The strategy incorporates the following two benefits: an increase in the cutting capacity owing to a reduction in the energy loss of the upper part and an improvement in surface quality. Furthermore, we adopt a single-factor approach to experimentally analyze the changing trend of jet lag using the proposed technique. We demonstrate that the proposed multi-pass cutting reduces the jet lag and improves the surface quality. We use particle erosion theories and a dimensionless analysis method to propose a model of the predictive jet lag, along with the optimal cutting parameters and multi-pass cutting depth. This model is validated using independent cutting parameters. The predictive model is in good agreement with the experimental results, deviating by a maximum of 6 % for 304 stainless steel. Notably, this model enables the prediction of jet lag for different cutting depths and parameters; furthermore, it exhibits significant engineering value by expanding the application range of freeform surface machining using AWJ technology.

CFD analysis of thermal fields for ice abrasive water jet

Ice abrasive water jet (IAWJ) technology uses ice particles instead of the mineral abrasives used in abrasive water jet (AWJ) technology. Since the thermal conditions are extremely important for the survival of the ice particles and their mechanical properties, the temperatures of the water jet and the adjacent air are analysed for different pressures and temperatures of the water upstream of the water nozzle and different nozzle orifice diameters. The temperature fields are calculated with a fully validated Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model. The results show that the temperature of the jet core does not change significantly, but the adjacent air heats up considerably due to viscous heating; both are influenced by the water temperature and pressure upstream of the water nozzle. A low water temperature upstream of the water nozzle could significantly reduce the expected temperature of the ice particles exiting the cutting head. However, the use of a cold carrier gas such as nitrogen with a temperature of -196°C should not have a significant effect on the temperature of the ice particles inside the cutting head. It is recommended to optimise the geometry of the cutting head to reduce the travel time of the ice inside. If water cooling is not used, the ice particles should have a diameter of more than 0.5 mm. However, if cooling is used, particles as small as 0.3 mm in diameter can be used. The observed temperature conditions play a key role in the further development of IAWJ technology.

Assessment of the Influence of Selected Technological Parameters on the Morphology Parameters of the Cutting Surfaces of the Hardox 500 Material Cut by Abrasive Water Jet Technology.

This article deals with the evaluation of selected aspects of abrasive water jet technology (AWJ) in the cutting of abrasion-resistant steel (HARDOX 500) with a thickness of 40 mm. The high abrasion resistance as a typical significant property of this steel ranks it among the special materials that are increasingly used. As the AWJ is a multiparametric technology, selected levels of feed rate, abrasive mass flow and pump working pressure were used in the experiments from the spectrum of technological parameters. For the purposes of evaluation, the examined cut surfaces were documented by a modified photographic method of displaying the cut surface by means of side lighting on the untreated cutting surface. The experimental part evaluates the dependences of selected cutting surface quality parameters (surface roughness and abrasive water jet deflection) on selected important technological parameters of the production system with AWJ technology (abrasive mass flow, technological head feed rate and pump working pressure). Based on the evaluation of the experiments, regression models were created to interpolate and extrapolate data to compare or supplement existing solutions in the field of research and as a basis for optimizing operating costs and increasing the efficiency of production systems with abrasive water jet technology.

Experimental investigation and striation study of Inconel 718 by using abrasive water jet drilling

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) technology is a viable production method for machining metal matrices with its own set of benefits. AWJD is a fantastic option for Despite its higher cost, the metal matrix is increasingly being used in many applications such as space, aviation, marine, architecture, and automobiles because of its superior physical and mechanical characteristics AWJ drilling of Inconel 718, on the other hand, has several drawbacks. The striation angle quality and surface morphology/integrity were investigated in this study. Inconel 718 material is waterjet drilled under various operating circumstances. The impact of a few essential variables affecting striation angle (SA) by using parameters traverse speed (TS), jet pressure (JP), gap distance (Sod). The replies for every trials designed according to Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array revealed the characteristics of striation angle. The characteristic change is tabulated, and a graph is presented using Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) and ANOVA.