Abrasive jet machining process: What is it, Diagram, Working principle, Advantages and disadvantages, Applications

What is Abrasive jet machining (AJM) ?

• Abrasive Jet Machining is the machining process in which machining is done with help of Abrasive particles and High-pressure air. The high-velocity abrasive particles strike on the workpiece to remove the material from workpiece.

• It is one of the type of non conventional machining process for a hard materials.

• This machining method uses the jet of abrasive particles for the machining. This abrasive particles are of Diamond Dust, Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide etc.

• The high velocity jet of this abrasive particles strikes on the work-piece.

Abrasive jet machining working principle

Abrasive jet machining uses the principle of Kinetic energy of the compressed air with abrasive particles. When high-velocity particles strike on the work-piece surface, Then surface material of the work-piece starts removing.

This working principle is Abrasive jet machining uses for the machining operation.

Abrasive jet machining diagram

Construction

The Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM) is consists of the following components :-

1) Compressor :- The Compressor is used to supply high pressure air to system. Compressor takes air from the atmosphere & compresses this air to high pressure.

2) Abrasive Particles :-  The abrasive particles uses are of Diamond Dust, Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide etc. The size of this particles is 10-40 microns.
This abrasive particles are strikes on hard material with high velocity (Around 140-280 m/s).

3) Pressure Gauge 1 :- The pressure gauge 1 is helps in indicating the outlet pressure of the compressed air from compressor. This helps in to get desire pressure to system.

4) Filter :- The filter helps in removing dirt, contaminants from the compressed air.

5) Mixing Chamber :- This is a chamber where the compressed air from compressor and abrasive particles are mixes. This mixer chamber has two inlet pipes, One of compressed air & one of the abrasive particles.

6) Pressure Gauge 2 :- After the mixing Chamber, the mixture flows through control valve and pressure gauge 2 to nozzle. The pressure gauge 2 indicates the mixture pressure.

7) Flow control valve :- The flow control valve helps to control mixture flow as per requirement.

Working of abrasive jet machining

1] When the compressed air starts to flow from the compressor, the filter removes the dirt, contaminants from the compressed air.

2] After filter, compressed air flows to the mixing chamber. mixing chamber mixes the receives compressed air and abrasive particles with each other. Vibrating device is connected to the mixing chamber, which helps in mixing of the compressed air and abrasive particles.

3] The mixture leaves the mixing chamber & starts to flow to nozzle through control valve. The operator uses this control valve to achieve desire pressure at output.

4] The mixture enters into the nozzle, This nozzle increases the velocity of the mixture. Therefore the high velocity (Around 140-280 m/s) mixture strikes onto work-piece.
When this high velocity mixture strikes on the work-piece surface. the material gets removes from the work-piece surface.

Hence, In such way in AJM, Machining is done with the help of high velocity jet of Abrasive particles and air.

Advantages of abrasive jet machining

The abrasive jet machining have following advantages :-

1. A high surface finish obtained.
2. Accuracy up to 0.5mm
3. Less power consumption
4. It has the capacity to drill intricate shapes holes in brittle & hard material.
5. Less capital cost

Disadvantages of abrasive jet machining

The abrasive jet machining have following disadvantages

1. High nozzle wear due to flow of abrasive particles.
2. Less material removal rate.
3. No contact between tool and workpiece.

Abrasive jet machining applications

The abrasive jet machining applications are as follows

1. Frosting of glass tubes.
2. It is widely used in cutting, drilling.
3. In the cleaning of brittle & hard objects.
4. In paint removal of colored objects.
5. In making high-quality surface parts.

FAQ:-

Read also:

• Traditional machining process or Conventional machining process 
• Laser beam machining (LBM)
• Ultrasonic machining
• Chemical machining  
• Electron Beam Machining