Abrasive powder problem

Awj metal cutting requires that the metal to be cut is softer than the abrasive powder sent into the nozzle as part of the water jet. So, for example, tungsten can be cut with water knife using garnet powder, but this is very challenging because the hardness of tungsten and garnet are very similar on the Mohler scale.

With water jet abrasive garnet spraying at 60,000 PSI or more, the garnet powder can roughen or matte the surface of any surrounding exposed material. This atomization may be strictly decorative - or it may be functional if it affects the surface finish and Ra value of the material.

An average of 2 pounds of wasted abrasive garnet energy is generated per minute of water knife cutting setup. Of course, the amount wasted depends on the thickness of the cut, the material and other factors. But typically, something that takes 15 minutes to cut creates 30 pounds of abrasive shards of garnet, mixed with a lot of water. This becomes a major disposal problem.

In addition, only about 5% of the dopant actually performs cutting. The balance is only part of the path of the water jet. It is found that some of the garnet breaks after ejection. This makes it problematic to recycle garnet powder. Although not dull, the fractured medium does not provide proper cutting action.

Please contact us at zhang@pride-cnc.com