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

Abstract

The paper is dealing with abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting of titanium and titanium–niobium alloy. It contains comparison of the experimental results with values calculated from a previously derived theoretical model describing the interaction between the AWJ and cut material using the limit values of traverse speed, limit depth of cut and limit angle. The attention is paid mainly to the angle of striations created on the walls by abrasive water jet cutting. For lower traverse rates, it was found that the angle of striations is greater than in theoretical expectations. The influence of bigger but slower peripheral abrasive particles in the AWJ outside layer is discussed as the most probable explanation of this phenomenon. Comparison of the results calculated from the theoretical model and the experiment show a very good correlation, especially when a correction, resulting from the explanation of the striation angle increase for low traverse speeds, is incorporated into the theoretical model.