Module e-3: ADVANCED MATERIA M AL REMO OVAL PR ROCESSES S

Lec cture No-3 Abrasive Jet Mac chining (AJM M) In n abrasive je et machining g (AJM) ma aterial remov val occurs o on account o of impact of f high velocity air / gas stream m of abrasi ive particles s on the wo orkpiece. Th he abrasives are ropelled by a high veloc city gas to er rode materia al from the w workpiece. A As an outcom me of pr im mpact of the abrasive particles p on n the workp piece, tiny b brittle fractu ures occur a at the su urface of the e workpiece and the carr rier gas carri ies away the e fractured fr ragments. AJ JM is al lso called as s abrasive bl lasting proce ess. It is also o known by several other names su uch as ab brasive micr ro-blasting, pencil p blasti ing and micr ro-abrasive b blasting. AJ JM is an effe ective machining m method m for hard h and bri ittle materia als such as glass, silico on, tungsten n and ce eramics. Typ pically the process p is used for cutti ing intricate e shapes or f forms of spe ecific ed dges. The pr rocess is inh herently free e from chatt ter, vibration n and heat p problems bec cause th he tool neve er touches th he substrate. The schem matic of AJM M process se et up is show wn in Figure 3.3.1

Advantages A

AJM process is a highly flexible process wherein the abrasive media is carried by a flexible hose, which can reach out to some difficult areas and internal regions. AJM process creates localized forces and generates lesser heat than the conventional machining processes. There is no damage to the workpiece surface and also the process does not have tool-workpiece contact, hence lesser amount of heat is generated. The power consumption in AJM process is low.

Disadvantages The material removal rate is low The process is limited to brittle and hard materials The wear rate of nozzle is very high The process results in poor machining accuracy The process can cause environmental pollution

Applications: Metal working: Glass: Cutting of the optical fibers without altering its wavelength. Cutting, drilling and frosting precision optical lenses. Cutting extremely thin sections of glass and intricate curved patterns. Cutting and etching normally inaccessible areas and internal surfaces. Cleaning and dressing the grinding wheels used for glass. De-burring of some critical zones in the machined parts. Drilling and cutting of the thin and hardened metal sections. Removing the machining marks, flaws, chrome and anodizing marks.

Grinding: Cleaning the residues from diamond wheels, dressing wheels of any shape and size. Principle of AJM

The principle of machining / cutting by abrasive jet process is explained through the following steps: 1. Abrasive particles of size between 10 m to 50 m (depending upon the requirement of either cutting or finishing of the workpiece) are accelerated in a gas stream (commonly used gas stream is air at high atmospheric pressures). 2. The smaller abrasive particles are useful for finishing and bigger are used for cutting operations. 3. The abrasive particles are directed through the nozzle, towards the workpiece surface where-ever cutting or finishing is to be done. The distance between the tip of the nozzle and the work surface is normally within 1 mm. 4. As the abrasive particles impact the surface of the workpiece, it causes a small fracture at the surface of the workpiece. The material erosion occurs by the chipping action. 5. The erosion of material by chipping action is convenient in those materials that are hard and brittle. 6. As the particles impact the surface of workpiece, it causes a small fracture and wear, which is carried away by the gas along with the abrasive particles. 7. The abrasive particles once used, cannot be re-used as its shape changes partially and the workpiece material is also clogged with the abrasive particles during impingement and subsequent flushing by the carrier gas.