Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM)

Introduction
 A stream of abrasive grains (Al2O3 or SiC) is carried by high pressure
gas or air (compressed).
 Impinges on the work surface at very high velocity through a nozzle of
0.3 to 0.5 mm diameter.
 Sand Blasting (SB) - a similar process
 The major differences between SB and AJM are
(i) smaller diameter abrasives
(ii) a more finely controlled delivery system
 Material removal – by mechanical abrasion action of the high velocity
abrasive particles.
 Best suited for hole drilling in superhard materials.
 Typically used to cut, clean, deburr, deflash and etch glass, ceramics
and other hard materials.

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Machining System

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 Machining System – Contd.
 A gas (Nitrogen, CO2 or air) is supplied at 2 – 8 kg/cm2

 Gas passes through a mixing chamber after filtration and

regulation.

 In the mixing chamber, abrasive particles (10 – 40 m) are present

and vibrated at 50 Hz.

 Amplitude of vibration – to control the feed rate of abrasives.

 (Gas + abrasives) - passed through a 0.45 mm diameter tungsten

carbide nozzle at a speed of 150 – 300 m/s.

 The nozzle is directed over the area to be machined. 4

 Machining System – Contd.
 Aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and silicon carbide (SiC) powders are
used for heavy cleaning, cutting and deburring.
 Magnesium carbonate is recommended for use in light cleaning
and etching.
 Sodium bicorbonate – fine cleaning and cutting of soft materials.
 Commercial grade powders are not suitable – b’coz their sizes are
not well classified. Also, they may contain silica which can cause a
health hazard.
 Abrasive powders are not reused. B’coz, contaminations and worn
grits will reduce the machining rate (MRR).
 The nozzle stand off distance is 0.81 mm.

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 Machining System – Contd.
 Relative motion between nozzle and workpiece – can be manual
Or automatically controlled using cam drives, tracer mechanisms
or using computer controlled according to the cut geometry
required.

 Masks of copper, glass, or rubber may be used to concentrate the

jet stream of abrasive particles to a confined location on the
workpiece.

 Intricate and precise shapes can be produced using masks with

corresponding contours.

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Process Parameters in AJM
 Material Removal

 The abrasive particles from the nozzle follow parallel paths for a short distance
 Then the abrasive jet flares outward like a narrow cone.
 When the sharp-edged abrasive particles of Al2O3 or SiC hit a brittle and
fragile material at high speed, tiny brittle fractures are created from which
small particles dislodge.
 The dislodged particles are carried away by the air or gas.

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 Material Removal Rate
 Material or Volumetric Removal Rate (MRR or VRR) is given by the
formula

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Process Characteristics

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 Process Parameters
 MRR, machining accuracy, surface roughness and nozzle wear are influenced
by
 Size and distance of the nozzle.
 Composition, strength, size, and shape of abrasives
 Flow rate
 Composition, pressure, and velocity of the carrier gas.
 MRR is mainly dependent on the flow rate and size of abrasives.
 Larger grain sizes produce greater removal rates.

 At a particular pressure, the VRR increases with the abrasive flow rate up to an
optimum value and then decreases with any further increase in flow rate.

 The mass flow rate of the gas decreases with an increase in the abrasive flow
rate

 Hence the mixing ratio increases and causes a decrease in the removal rate
because of the decreasing energy available for material removal. 12
 Process Parameters – Contd.
 Typical MRR is 16.4 mm3/min when cutting glass.

 Cutting rates for metals vary from 1.6 to 4.1 mm3/min.

 For harder ceramics, cutting rates are about 50 percent higher than those for
glass – 24.6 mm3/min.

 The minimum width of cut can be 0.13 mm.

 Tolerances are typically within  0.05 mm by using good fixation and motion
control.

 Attainable surface roughness - 0.2 to 1.5 µm using 10 and 50 µm particles,

respectively.

 Taper is present in deep cuts.

 High nozzle pressures result in a greater removal rate, but the nozzle life is
decreased. 13
 Applications
 Drilling holes, cutting slots, cleaning hard surfaces, deburring, polishing,

and radiusing.

 Deburring of cross holes, slots, and threads in small precision parts that require
a burr-free finish, such as hydraulic valves, aircraft fuel systems, and medical
appliances.

 Machining intricate shapes or holes in sensitive, brittle, thin, or difficult-to-

machine materials.

 Insulation stripping and wire cleaning without affecting the conductor.

 Micro-deburring of hypodermic needles.

 Trimming of circuit boards, hybrid circuit resistors, capacitors, silicon, and

gallium.

 Removal of films and delicate cleaning of irregular surfaces because the

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abrasive stream is able to follow contours.
 Advantages
 Because AJM is a cool machining process, it is best suited for machining brittle
and heat-sensitive materials like glass, quartz, sapphire, and ceramics.

 The process is used for machining superalloys and refractory materials.

 It is not reactive with any workpiece material.

 Intricate parts of sharp corners can be machined.

 The machined materials do not experience hardening.

 No initial hole is required for starting the operation as required by wire EDM.

 It can machine thin materials.

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 Limitations
 The removal rate is slow.

 Stray cutting can’t be avoided (low accuracy of  0.1 mm).

 The tapering effect may occur especially when drilling in metals.

 The abrasive may get impeded in the work surface.

 Soft materials can’t be machined by the process.

 Silica dust may be a health hazard.

 Ordinary air should be filtered to remove moisture and oil.

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