Cutting Edge Quality through Process Modeling of the Abrasive Waterjet

Abrasive waterjets have become a most recent tool in mechanical machining. With its great advantages of geometrical and material flexibility and its ability of cutting hard-to-machine materials, the technology is spreading more and more among industry. Thorough understanding of the relevant processes is essential for achieving the demanded high quality output, especially in three-dimensional machining. Suitable process models need to be implemented in appropriate waterjet-specific computer aided manufacturing systems (CAM). In this paper, new approaches to analytic and geometric modelling of the spatial behavior of the jet tool are presented.