Improvement of abrasive water jet machining accuracy for titanium and TiNb alloy

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology - The paper is dealing with abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting of titanium and titanium–niobium alloy. It contains comparison of...     

The optimal cutting times of multipass abrasive water jet cutting

Cutting is one of the most important applications of abrasive water jet. However, there are always some quality defects in the cross section cut by abrasive water jet. It is found that multipass abrasive water jet cutting can effectively improve the cutting quality. In this paper, two types of multipass water jet cutting were summarized and redefined clearly first. Then, taking AISI 304 stainless steel as the workpiece, the cross sections after cutting with different cutting times were analyzed and compared with that after single cutting. The overall roughness and the overall taper of the section were obtained by a reasonable method. Besides, in order to give consideration to both the cutting quality and the processing time, the concept of quality improvement rate was put forward. On this basis, with the improvement rate as the index, the optimal cutting times for cutting AISI 304 stainless steel with multipass abrasive water jet were analyzed from two aspects of surface quality and kerf taper, and the optimal cutting times of cutting other materials by multipass abrasive water jet can be studied according to the same idea. The study of this paper provides important reference for the application of multipass abrasive water jet cutting.     

Identification of the role of machinability and milling depth on machining time in controlled depth milling using abrasive water jet

Abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) is mainly used to through cut materials that are difficult to cut by conventional machining processes. This process may also be used for controlled depth milling (CDM) of materials. This work focuses on making blind pockets of controlled depths for a set of materials with AWJM. The materials used in the present work are AL 6061 alloy, AL 2024, brass 353, titanium (Ti6Al4V), AISI 304 (SS), and tool steel (M2 Rc 20). The effects of the milling depth and material characteristics on milling time are investigated. It is observed that machinability index and mechanical properties of the materials milled play important role in establishing milling time and surface roughness. It is found that traverse speed of AWJ process is lower for the materials with low machinability index and vice versa. Besides, the milling time increases non-linearly as the depth of milling increases due to loss of energy of jet and increase in standoff distance (SOD).     

应用模糊理论预测磨料水射流切深模型的建立

以理论为基础,应用磨料水射流切割加工时的工艺参数:水射流压力、射流横移速度和磨料流量等实验数据,建立一个模糊控制模型。这个模糊控制模型可以预测在任何给定一组加工参数时,可获得的切割深度。给出磨料水射流切割铝合金实例。     

磨料水射流切割工艺参数的实验研究

磨料水射流切割中影响切割深度的因素很多,各工艺参数的选择和合理搭配对切割结果有很大影响,并且难以用精确的数学模型来描述.以磨料水射流切割混凝土为例,考察了射流压力、进给速度、靶距、磨料流量、磨料粒径和材料性能等工艺参数对最大切割深度的影响.结果表明:(1)切割深度与射流压力呈线性增长关系;(2)在一定范围内切割深度随磨料流量增加而增加,但当磨料流量达到一定值后,切割深度随流量增加反而下降;(3)切割深度随磨料粒径的增加呈先增加后减小的规律,存在一极值点;(4)切割深度随切割速度的增加呈指数衰减;(5)存在一最佳靶距,超过这个界限值时,随着靶距的增大,切割深度急剧减小;(6)混凝土试件抗压强度的抗压强度越大,切割深度越小.     

An exploration of an abrasive water jet cutting front profile

Abrasive water jet (AWJ) now is used as a precision cutting tool. With this tool, dimension tolerance less than 0.1 mm is expected in the cutting process. This dimension tolerance is enough for some applications. However, higher precision is necessary in order to use AWJ in some other applications. To get higher precision in an AWJ cutting process, controlling AWJ beam more accurately is needed, and this further leads to understanding AWJ cutting front more accurately. This paper compared the current cutting front profile exploration methods and then provided a new method to collect AWJ cutting front information accurately. With this new method, a better understanding of the cutting front profile is possible, which further leads to higher precision cutting of AWJ. This paper also demonstrated that the AWJ cutting front profile could be fitted by parabolic curves accurately.     

Study and evaluation of abrasive water jet cutting performance on AA5083-H32 aluminum alloy by varying the jet impingement angles with different abrasive mesh sizes

This article describes the experimental investigation of abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting on AA5083-H32 aluminum alloy. In this study, the influence of varying the jet impingement angles and abrasive mesh sizes with different water jet pressures, on the output parameters for the AWJ cutting of the aluminum alloy, was analyzed. The experimental results found that the output parameters, namely, the depth of penetration, top kerf width, kerf taper ratio, surface roughness, and abrasive contaminations, were strongly influenced by the combined effect of oblique jet impingement angles and abrasive mesh sizes on AWJ. Also, it is noticed that oblique jet impingement angles have more influence on the output cutting responses than the normal jet impingement angle, and consequently, each abrasive mesh size has an influence on the different output responses for the AWJ cutting of AA5083-H32. Scanning electron microscope and microhardness tester were used to examine the different cutting regions of the kerf wall surfaces. The Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis was used to confirm the amount of silicon particles embedded in the AWJ cut surfaces. The adequacy checking of the experimental data for the AWJ cutting performance models has been analyzed through the residual plots using the statistical software.     

Predictive depth of jet penetration models for abrasive waterjet cutting of alumina ceramics

A study of the depth of jet penetration (or depth of cut) in abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting of alumina ceramics with controlled nozzle oscillation is presented and discussed. An experimental investigation is carried out first to study the effects of nozzle oscillation at small angles on the depth of cut under different combinations of process parameters. Based on the test conditions, it is found that nozzle oscillation at small angles can improve the depth of cut by as much as 82% if the cutting parameters are correctly selected. Depending on the other cutting parameters in this study, it is found that a high oscillation frequency (10–14 Hz) with a low oscillation angle (4–6°) can maximize the depth of cut. Using a dimensional analysis technique, predictive models for jet penetration when cutting alumina ceramics with and without nozzle oscillation are finally developed and verified. It is found that the model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results with the average percentage errors of less than 2.5%.     

Parameter estimation for abrasive water jet machining process using neural networks

The abrasive water jet machining process, a material removal process, uses a high velocity jet of water and an abrasive particle mixture. The estimation of appropriate values of the process parameters is an essential step toward an effective process performance. This has led to the development of numerous mathematical and empirical models. However, the complexity of the process confines the use of these models for limited operating conditions; e.g., some of these models are valid for special material combinations while others are based on the selection of only the most critical variables such as pump pressure, traverse rate, abrasive mass flow rate and others that affect the process. Furthermore, these models may not be generalized to other operating conditions. In this respect, a neural network approach has been proposed in this paper. Two neural network approaches, backpropagation and radial basis function networks, are proposed. The results from these two neural network approaches are compared with that from the linear and non-linear regression models. The neural networks provide a better estimation of the parameters for the abrasive water jet machining process.     

基于改进BP网络的磨料水射流切割质量研究

目前建立的磨料水射流切割质量数学模型,对厚板材切割时,其加工精度和表面质量较难控制.基于BP神经网络学习理论,通过对网络权值和阀值进行四种方法的改进,目的是改善网络误差反向学习性能,建立低误差收敛精度、快训练速度的最佳切割质量模型.在获取大量样本数据的基础上,对最佳改进BP网络模型进行训练、预测,结果表明该模型能够快速、准确、可靠地预测磨料水射流切割质量.     

Numerical simulation for abrasive water jet machining based on ALE algorithm

In dealing with fluid impact and large deformation problems by traditional Lagrange grid, calculation failure often happens due to grid distortion. An abrasive water jet machining model is created to simulate the whole stage by software LS-DYNA from the jet into the nozzle to the workpiece material removal process using ALE (Arbitrary Lagrange–Euler) algorithm. The mesh for the abrasive and water is based on the ALE formulation, while the target mesh applies the Lagrange formulation. The effect of jet penetration is implemented by coupling the grids of ALE and Lagrange. The jet traverse speed is achieved by definition of the movement of ALE grid to reduce the mesh domain. The abrasive constitutive equations are also presented in this paper. The uniform mixture for abrasive and water is achieved by definition of volume percentage of the two materials in the initial ALE elements. Simulation results give the relationships between processing parameters and the cutting depth. The good agreement between simulation results and experimental data verifies the correctness of the simulation.     

Perspective study of abrasive water jet machining of composites — a review

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - Even though composite materials are prominent amongst the advanced engineering materials, but machining of composites using conventional machining...     

微磨料水射流切割头装置设计与研究

传统磨料水射流切割头的磨料靠负压吸入,可靠性差、吸入不均匀、流量不能精确控制。采用螺杆泵输送原理,设计了一种新型微磨料水射流切割头装置及控制系统。该装置采用螺杆泵主动送料,螺杆由步进电机驱动,单片机发出的控制脉冲控制步进电机的转速,步进电机的转速与磨料流量一一对应,从而将磨料定量、连续地送到切割头混合腔,实现磨料流量的精确控制。在混合腔的排出通道上设置单向阀门,解决了喷嘴堵塞后高压水直接进入磨料罐引起磨料输送系统失效问题。     

Monitoring of abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting using sound detection

Our main objective in the present work is to develop a methodology and create a system for the abrasive water jet (AWJ) machining process control. In the case of AWJ cutting, besides the cutting head traverse rate, the distance between the mixing tube and the workpiece, designated as the stand-off distance, has a predominant influence on the workpiece quality. The control of the traverse rate is performed by the machine controller. The stand off-distance control during the machining represents a problem because no effective on-line in real-time stand-off distance detection system has been developed yet. The detection of the stand-off distance during cutting enables better AWJ machining process control. order to monitor the stand-off distance, we measure the emitted sound generated during the AWJ straight cut operation and analyse its characteristic attributes. In order to verify the proposed stand-off distance monitoring methods, a set of experiments was carried out. The signal analysis was performed in both time and frequency domain. The obtained results show an evident influence of the stand-off distance on sound emission. Thus, efficient control of the AWJ cutting process through sound detection appears to be viable.     

磨粒流精密光整加工的微切削机理

利用磨粒流的流变特性,通过对应力张量的分析,研究了磨粒流加工中的微切削力。提出了磨粒流加工是兼挤压与微去除方式为一体的复合加工,微切削动力主要来自于磨粒挤压力、磨粒的犁削力及磨料介质的剪切力。建立了磨粒流动力学模型,通过改变磨粒流流道的加工条件和测试加工过程的接触区压力、去除量及表面粗糙度等参数,用量化的方式揭示了磨粒流加工中抽象微切削力的变化规律。最后,结合COMSOL Multiphysics软件的CFD模块数值仿真了剪切力。结果显示:基于加模芯的方法有效地提高了磨粒流加工的微切削力,滑块4经15次循环后表面粗糙度由加工前的2.918μm下降为1.027μm,而去除量下降了0.09g。实验表明,磨粒流加工中去除量确有变化,但随着加工次数增加去除作用迅速削弱,而表面粗糙度在挤压力的作用下仍有所降低。     

The effect of particle hardness and shape when abrasive water jet milling titanium alloy Ti6Al4V

Legislative restriction on effluent disposal has resulted in an increase in the environmental costs of chemical milling and replacement methods are being sought. Abrasive water jet cutting (AWJ) is a mature process that is employed to through cut materials that are difficult to process by more conventional methods and the process is also being developed for controlled depth milling (CDM) to produce three-dimensional features which in the past might have been produced by chemical or etching processes. A major problem to be solved when using AWJ as a CDM technique is that of tolerance on depth, surface waviness and surface roughness of the milled area. In the current work, the effects of milling parameters on the surface characteristics are investigated when milling a titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) with different abrasives, namely white and brown aluminium oxide, garnet, glass beads and steel shot. It has been demonstrated that the ratio between the hardness of the workpiece and the abrasive is more important than particle shape. Material removal rate and surface roughness increased when particle hardness is increased. Shape factor and particle hardness have no significant effect on surface waviness. For the abrasives investigated; traverse speed is shown to govern the operative mechanism of material removal and thus the material removal rate. It is also shown that the surface waviness can be reduced as the traverse speed is increased whilst, the surface roughness is not strongly dependent on traverse speed.     

淹没磨料水射流与非淹没磨料水射流冲蚀破岩效果比对分析

磨料水射流的冲蚀能力主要依赖于磨料颗粒所获得的能量,对非淹没磨料水射流和淹没磨料水射流的冲蚀实验结果进行比对,从能量角度和磨料颗粒速度变化角度分析了造成非淹没磨料水射流和淹没磨料水射流的冲蚀效果差异的原因。     

Cryogenic abrasive jet machining of polydimethylsiloxane at different temperatures

The temperature dependence of the solid particle erosion of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using aluminum oxide particles was investigated between the temperatures of ?178 and 17 °C for a variety of angles of attack using a novel cryogenic abrasive jet machining apparatus. It was found that the most efficient machining of PDMS (volume removed per kinetic energy of erodent) occurred at approximately ?178 °C, at angles of attack between 30° and 60° from the surface. A previously developed surface evolution model was used to predict the size and shape of unmasked channels at various temperatures. A good agreement between the predicted and measured channel profiles was obtained when the average blasting temperature was between approximately ?127 and ?178 °C. At ?82 °C, the fit was poorer, probably because of an increase in particle embedding. Although it was demonstrated that PDMS could be machined at temperatures above its glass transition, the erosion rate increased by a factor of more than 10 when the machining temperature was below this point.