The Effect of Water Pressure Variation on Cut Surfaces Quality during Abrasive Waterjet Cutting of Austenitic Steels
In this paper research elements regarding the effect of water pressure variation on cut surfaces quality are presented in the field of abrasive water jet cutting of materials hard to process by machining such as austenitic stainless steels, in this case with a thickness of 20 mm. Selection of the optimal cutting process based on technical and economic criteria takes into consideration the type and thickness of the targeted material and also the physical and geometrical quality requirements. The present paper contains experimental research results regarding abrasive water jet cutting of austenitic stainless steel EN 1.4306 (ASTM 304 L) at different values of water pressure. The abrasive material used is Garnet with particle granulation 80 Mesh. By making roughness measurements and hardness examinations of the cut surface an evaluation will be made of the surface quality defining the optimal pressure values.