Analysis of the cutting front in abrasive waterjet cutting
Abstract
The usage of abrasive waterjets has been established in many fields of industrial production. Still limitations in performance and surface quality hinder a wider distribution of applications. Especially the formation of structures at the cutting edge due to the behavior of the cutting front has been identified as a major limiting factor. Better understanding may here result in control and optimal usage of the immanent physical processes and may lead to higher cutting efficiency. In this paper new approaches to analysis of the cutting front are elaborated. With the utilisation of a high speed optical measurement system the dynamic behaviour of the cutting front is analyzed. New insights about the particle-material interaction could be gained by evaluation the shape of the very cutting front. With this a better understanding of the participating processes new approaches to modeling the abrasive waterjet can be initiated resulting in possible optimization of the overall outcome regarding surface quality and cutting performance.
