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Research Status of Abrasive Water Jet Polishing Technology

**1 Introduction** Abrasive water jet technology has evolved rapidly since the 1880s and has become a promising alternative to traditional machining methods. Unlike conventional techniques, it offers several advantages such as no tool wear, minimal thermal effects, and low reaction forces. This makes it highly flexible and suitable for processing challenging materials like ceramics, quartz, and composites. Abrasive water jet polishing is an advanced precision machining technique that combines fluid dynamics with surface engineering. It builds upon abrasive water jet technology and is gaining attention for its potential in high-precision surface finishing. However, research on this technique remains limited both domestically and internationally. Most studies are still exploratory, with few systematic results published so far. Early experiments by Hashish explored the feasibility of polishing diamond films using abrasive liquid jets. His findings showed that diamond films could be polished from 3 μm down to 1.3 μm using 600-μm SiC abrasives. Fahnle and Oliver W. demonstrated that flat glass surfaces could achieve a roughness reduction from 475 nm to just 5 nm using a liquid abrasive jet. Booij and Silvia M. found that by adjusting parameters like processing time, abrasive concentration, particle size, and target distance, the material removal rate could be controlled within a range of 1 nm/min. They also discovered that by modifying the nozzle movement trajectory, surfaces with N10-level accuracy could be achieved. Messelink and Wilhelmus ACM confirmed that abrasive water jets can effectively pre-polish and polish spherical surfaces. Their results indicated that the material removal rate depends on the sharpness of the abrasive and its kinetic energy during polishing. Yang Ganhua and Liu Jiguang conducted experiments showing that abrasive jet polishing is feasible for ferroalloy profiles, leading to more efficient polishing schemes. **2 Polishing Mechanism of Abrasive Water Jet** When an abrasive water jet impacts the workpiece, the force can be divided into horizontal and vertical components. The horizontal component helps cut and flatten surface irregularities, while the vertical component applies pressure, creating a "chilling" effect on the surface. During initial polishing, some abrasive particles remain in the surface valleys, forming a thin layer. The exposed peaks are then removed by the impact of the abrasive, resulting in a smoother surface. This stage is known as primary polishing, where large particles are used due to significant material removal. The mechanism is similar to standard abrasive water jet machining, involving plastic deformation and cutting actions. In secondary polishing, after the major peaks are removed, the horizontal force decreases while the vertical force increases, enhancing the pressing action. At this stage, finer abrasives are used, and the material removal mechanism is still under investigation. Some researchers suggest that at the nanoscale, plastic flow becomes the dominant removal method, with extrusion grinding playing a key role. **3 Impact of Process Parameters** The quality of abrasive water jet polishing is influenced by various factors, including jet pressure, nozzle diameter, target distance, spray angle, abrasive size, hardness, and material properties. - **Jet Pressure**: Too high or too low pressure affects polishing efficiency and surface quality. - **Abrasive Size**: Smaller abrasives improve surface finish but reduce polishing speed. - **Abrasive Hardness**: Softer abrasives tend to yield better polishing results due to their ability to deform and apply even pressure. - **Processing Time**: Longer times increase material removal but may not significantly improve surface quality. - **Target Distance**: An optimal distance ensures effective polishing without excessive material loss. - **Spray Angle**: A smaller tilt angle improves surface quality, but reduces material removal. - **Nozzle Design**: The shape, size, and length of the nozzle affect abrasive distribution in the jet. - **Material Hardness**: Harder materials generally result in lower surface roughness and less material removal. **4 Main Challenges in Abrasive Water Jet Polishing** Despite its potential, abrasive water jet polishing faces several challenges: 1. **Formation of Fine Jets**: Creating micro-abrasive jets is difficult due to limitations in mixing mechanisms. 2. **Abrasive Agglomeration**: Nano-sized abrasives tend to clump together, reducing effectiveness. 3. **Nozzle Clogging**: Small nozzles are prone to clogging, especially when using fine abrasives. 4. **Lack of Mature Theory**: The microscopic removal mechanisms of different materials are not yet fully understood. 5. **Size Effect**: The ratio between nozzle and abrasive size complicates control and predictability. **5 Conclusion** With the growing demand for high-precision manufacturing and the development of new materials, abrasive water jet technology is becoming increasingly important. Its unique advantages make it suitable for processing difficult-to-machine materials. Future research should focus on improving the theoretical understanding and experimental validation of abrasive water jet polishing, particularly in the development of micro-abrasive systems. As the technology matures, it will play a vital role in achieving superior surface finishes across multiple industries.

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