Waterjetting 18c - Abrasive choices

Picking the right abrasive can make a big difference in the profit that a waterjetting operation makes. But the question, of course, is which abrasive is the best? And, as I have done in the past, I am going to hedge a little in my answer. The reason for this is that there are different factors that control the price of the abrasive – how far has it to be transported, how it was prepared and what it is made of – for example. And while some abrasives generally cut better than others, if the unit is only going to be cutting a narrow range of material, then the abrasive that is best for cutting a wide range of materials (garnet) may not necessarily be the best choice in that particular case.

Figure 1. Different types and sizes of abrasive particles.

And further, just to make life a little more complicated, not all garnet abrasive (or other types of abrasive product) are created to give equal performance. As I have mentioned in a previous post the cutting performance of the abrasive can be rapidly reduced as the particle size falls below 100 micron. Thus, if the particles have not been well graded, so that there is a significant amount of abrasive below this size (even though the vendor tells you that it is a 250 micron size) then the cutting performance will not be as good as it would be if the mix contained no fine fraction that far below the stated particle size.

Figure 2. The effect of particle size on cutting performance

On the other hand if particle sizes are too large, then for a given abrasive feed rate there will be a smaller number of particles hitting the surface, and this can also reduce cutting performance if carried too far.

Figure 3. The effect of increasing particle size on the cutting of cast iron at a constant abrasive feed rate (0.88 lb/min) (after Hashish*)

There are other factors that has also to be considered in selecting the best abrasive, and, while I am going to discuss this below, in most cases it is going to be something that you will have to test in your own shop, comparing the results that you get with the cost of the abrasive (often worked out in dollars per square foot of cut, or similar unit) to decide which gives you – in your particular circumstance – the best performance.

But the testing of different abrasives can be reduced to a manageable range of tests (and we prefer the triangle test that I have described in an earlier piece) if some basic thoughts are born in mind.

Decide what it is that you will be cutting – is it mainly going to be a metal that is going to respond in a ductile way when cut by the abrasive. In which case the abrasive should have enough sharp edges to cut into the material, and then to plow up some of the surface so that as more particles hit the surface, pieces are broken off.

Figure 4. Mechanisms for cutting into a metal or other ductile material.

On the other hand, if the material that you are going to cut is a brittle one, say for example rock or glass, then the material is going to be removed by crack growth. Here relatively spherical particles can be more effective because the energy of the particle is concentrated at the point of impact, and more easily causes cracks to grow. On the other hand relatively flat particles with multiple impact points reduce the pressure under any one and reduce the effectiveness of the particles in getting the cracks to grow as quickly and as long as possible.

Thus, for example, we can compare the effect of using the same amount of steel shot (round) and garnet in cutting granite (a brittle material) and tool steel.

Figure 5. Cuts in granite and tool steel using the same abrasive feed rate, but the cut on the right is with garnet and that on the left is with steel shot. Note that the steel cuts the granite to a deeper distance within the cut, while in the tool steel it bounces off without leaving much impression. (However harder steel grit on softer steels can be an effective choice).

The difference that particle shape makes in cutting ductile materials can be shown when the same AFR is used but in one case the abrasive is broken glass particles and in the other it is glass beads.

Figure 6. Effect of particle shape (broken glass and glass beads) in cutting composite material at the same abrasive feed rate (after Faber***)

Further some particles, for example steel shot or grit, can be recycled through the system a number of times without much degradation, so that if they can be simply collected below the cut, they can be profitably reclaimed, providing that the particles below 100 micron are separated out of the flow after each cycle.

Figure 6. Effect of recycling abrasive through a slurry abrasive jet system on depth of cut achieved (after Kiyoshige et al**)

Others however are more friable, this is perhaps more true of alluvial garnet, which often has a much higher density of internal cracks than mined garnet, and so is more liable to fracture either in the mixing chamber or on first contact with the target, so that the amount that remains above 100 microns is substantially smaller than that with the mined alternative.

Yet cost is a factor, and so it is best, for your material to test the different alternatives available, before making a final decision.

* Hashish, M., "Abrasive Jets," Section 4, in Fluid Jet Technology, Fundamentals and Applications, Waterjet Technology Association, St. Louis, MO, 1991.
**Kiyoshige, M., Matsamura ,H., Ikemoto, Y., Okada, T., "A Study of Abrasive Waterjet Cutting using Slurried Abrasives," paper B2, 9th International Symposium on Jet Cutting Technology, Sendai, Japan, October, 1988, pp. 61 - 73.
*** Faber, K., Oweinah, H., "Influence of Process Parameters on Blasting Performance with the Abrasive Jet," paper 25, 10th International Symposium on Jet Cutting Technology, Amsterdam, October, 1990, pp. 365 - 384.