1

Theory Lectures on
Manufacturing Processes (MEI102)
AWJM – Abrasive Water Jet Machining
(Lecture 5)

Dr. Suman Saha

Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Machining – Subtractive Manufacturing 2

Seven different types of manufacturing processes

Casting Forming Joining Machining Powder Metallurgy Additive Manufacturing Surface Eng.

OR

Subtractive manufacturing

Traditional machining Non-traditional machining (NTM) Both are

Utilizes cutting tool No special cutting tool “subtractive”
Based on mechanical energy Mechanical/electrical/chemical/thermal/light etc. energy because the
material is
removed from
the initial
workpiece in
order to get the
desired product.
 Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Traditional and Non-traditional machining - difference 3

Traditional machining Non-traditional machining

Conventional machining Non-conventional machining
Only mechanical energy (power) is utilized to gradually Various forms of energy (like electrical, mechanical,
remove excess material from workpiece. thermal, chemical, electro-chemical, light, etc. or a
combination of two or more such forms) are directly
utilized to remove excess material.
Materials are removed in the form of tiny sharp chips. So called ‘chip’ is not produced here. Material is removed
in various forms, such as tiny metal particles, ions,
molten or vapor, etc.
Physical contact between cutting tool and workpiece and Although no physical contact occurs between cutting tool
also relative velocity in between them are indispensably and workpiece, in few processes such as AJM, AWJM, &
necessary in order to remove materials. USM solid abrasive grits strike the work surface to erode
material.
‘Shear deformation’ is the only phenomenon that causes Shear deformation plays an insignificant role in material
removal of material. removing in most of the NTM processes. Instead, erosion,
dissolution, evaporation, sputtering, etc. occur here.
Examples of conventional machining processes— Turning, Examples of non-traditional machining processes— AJM,
Facing, Grooving, etc.Drilling, Boring, Reaming, AWJM, USM, EDM, ECM, CHM, LBM, PAM, EBM,
etc.Shaping, Planing, Milling, etc.Grinding, Lapping, IBM, Hybridization of above processes.
Honing, etc.
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Classification of Non-traditional machining processes 4
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
AWJM videos 5

1. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Wvh_BGTNS3o
2. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u8TwzsVvq6I
3. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gqvWsXbIDz8
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqpdPc7urGQ
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlacOX68OME
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQyWHLOxk5Y
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVV17L4EbZM
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iVHChvA7V0
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pemgwRrCs78
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJV2tO7Ad1U
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM) 6
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Mechanism of material removal in AWJM 7

Salient features of AWJM

• AWJM comes under the mechanical-type non-traditional
manufacturing process. (Mechanical energy based NTM process)
• The mechanism of material removal is abrasive erosion.
• Small diameter hard abrasive particles are entrained into the highly
pressurized water jet.
• The water-abrasive mixture is then dispensed through a small
diameter nozzle in the form of a jet.
• This jet is directed to the workpiece that needs to be cut.
• The high-velocity abrasive particles induce erosion action on the
material, whereas the eroded material is removed by the water.
Therefore, the cutting action is executed by the abrasive particles,
whereas water assists in removing the debris.
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Stand-Off Distance (SOD) 8

Water + Abrasive

• Abrasive-water jet start flaring immediately after it is dispensed from nozzle. As a result, cross-sectional area of the
jet increases as the SOD (stand-off distance) increases. Jet cross-section is proportional to the SOD.
• Abrasive-water jet velocity (jet energy) is inversely proportional to the SOD.
• So, a small SOD gives narrow but deep profiles.
• On the other hand, a long SOD gives wide but shallow profile.
 Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Abrasives and other process paremeters for AWJM 9

Common abrasive materials • Nozzle diameter => 1 – 5 mm

• Silicon carbide • Nozzle material => Usually Sapphire
• Sand
• Water pressure => 2,500 – 4,000 bar
• Corundum (alumina)
• Glass beads • Abrasive materials => Silica, glass, alumina, etc.
Typical abrasive size => 10 – 150 micron • Abrasive flow rate => 0.1 – 1.0 kg/min
• SOD => 1 – 5 mm
• Impact angle => 60 – 90° with work surface
• Traverse speed => 100 – 5000 mm/min
• Depth of cut => 1.0 – 25.0 mm
 Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Applications of AWJM 10

• Thick metal/ceramic cutting & profiling.

• Burr removal (deburring).
• Industrial and civil cleaning.
• Joint cleaning (rust removal from nut-bolt).
• Surface preparation and decontamination.
• Oil, paint, coating, etc. removal.
• Concrete hydro-demolition (stone cutting).
• Rock fragmentation.
• Soil drilling, rock drilling.
• Construction demolition.

Usually not used for cutting polymer or food product due to risk of presence of embedded abrasive particle
Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
MRR in AWJM 11

Problem 1:
During AWJM, if diameter of the nozzle orifice is
reduced by 30%, how much decrease in MRR is
expected?

Problem 2:
If hot water having density 0.8 times cold water
is used in AWJM then how much reduction in
MRR will be noticed?
 Dr. Suman Saha
Mechanical Engineering
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
Catcher for AWJM 12

• Even after completion of

cutting action, the water jet
can have sufficient energy that
can damage machine elements
if allowed to impinge the
machine structure.

• Thus, the exit-jet also needs to

be arrested. This is carried out
by catcher. Catcher absorbs
the residue energy of the exit-
jet.
• Usually, catcher is based on
either of these three different
types.