12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Principle

• Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM) is a process of material

removal through chipping/erosive action using a focused

stream of abrasive grains of Al2O3 or SiC carried by high-

pressure gas or air at a high velocity injected through a

nozzle on the workpiece to be machined.

• The workpiece material is removed by the mechanical

abrasion (MA) action of the high-velocity abrasive particles.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Principle

• The erosive action has been employed for cutting, cleaning,

etching, polishing and deburring.

• This process is effective on hard and / or brittle materials

(viz glass, silicon, tungsten, ceramics, etc.) but not so

effective on soft materials like Al, rubber etc.).

• AJM machining is best suited for machining holes in

superhard materials.

1
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Construction

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Construction

1. Gas Propulsion System

• The gas propulsion system supplies clean and dry gas (air,
N2 or CO2) to propel the abrasive particles.

• The gas may be supplied either by a compressor or a

cylinder.

• In case of compressor, air filter-cum-drier should be used to

avoid the water or oil contamination of the abrasive powder.

• The gas should be nontoxic, cheap and easily available.

• It should not excessively spread when discharge from nozzle

into atm.

2
 12‐08‐2019

WATER JET MACHINING PROCESS (WJM)-

Construction

2. Abrasive Feeder

• Required quantity of abrasive particles is supplied by

abrasive feeder.

• The feed rate of the abrasive particles is controlled by

inducing vibration to the feeder.

• The particles are propelled to the mixing chamber.

• The air-abrasive mixture moves further to the nozzle.

WATER JET MACHINING PROCESS (WJM)-

Construction

3. Nozzle

• The nozzle is usually made of tungsten carbide or sapphire

which has high wear resistance.

• The nozzle shape is either circular or rectangular cross

section.

• The nozzle pressure is generally maintained between 2-8.5

kgf/cm2.

• Wear of nozzle leads to divergence of the jet stream that

results more stray cutting and high inaccuracy.

• The stray cutting can be controlled by mask covers.

3
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Construction
4. Abrasives
• Abrasive used are Al2O3, SiC, glass beads, crushed glass, Sodium
bicarbonate.
• The selection of abrasive depend upon the type of work material, MRR
and Accuracy desired.
• Al2O3 is good for cleaning, cutting and deburring while SiC is used for
similar application but for harder material.
• For matt finish glass beads are good.
• For sharper edge crushed glass is better.
• Small abrasive grains are used for cleaning and polishing while large
grains are better for cutting.
• The abrasive grains should have sharp and irregular shape and fine
(10-50 μm) enough to be remain suspended in the carrier gas

AJM- Parametric Analysis

1. STAND-OFF-DISTANCE
2. TYPE AND SIZE OF
ABRASIVE GRAINS
3. FLOW RATE OF
AJM MRR
ABRASIVE
4. GAS PRESSURE
5. WORK MATERIAL
6. FEED RATE

4
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

MRR

• The abrasive particles from the nozzle follow parallel paths

for a short distance and then the abrasive jet flares
outward like a narrow cone. When the sharp-edged
abrasive particles hit a brittle and fragile material at high
speed, tiny brittle fractures are created from which small
particles dislodge.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

MRR

• The MRR is calculated by following formula:

3/ 4
  
MRR  KNd a v  a 
3 3/ 2

 12 H w 

5
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

1. Stand-off-distance (SOD)

• The standoff distance is the gap between the jet nozzle and
the workpiece. It lies between 0.75-1.0 mm.

• MRR increases with increase in SOD upto some distance

and then starts decreasing.

• Large SOD (12.5 -75 mm) required for light operations like
cleaning and frosting.

• Decrease in SOD improves accuracy, decreases kerf width

and reduces taper in machined groves.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

1. Stand-off-distance (SOD)

6
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

1. Stand-off-distance (SOD)

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

3. Abrasive Flow Rate

• MRR increases only upto a certain value of abrasive flow

rate beyond which it starts decreasing.

• Abrasive flow rate increases, number of abrasive increases

thereby increasing MRR. Further increases in abrasive
decreases the velocity that reduces the MRR.

7
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

2. Nozzle Pressure

• MRR increases with increase in nozzle pressure.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

4. Mixing Ratio

• Mixing ratio is defined as the ratio of vol. flow rate of

abrasive to the vol. flow rate of gas.

&
Vol. flow rate of abrasive particle Va
Mixing Ratio (M)   &
Vol. flow rate of carrier gas Vg
Mass flow rate of abrasive particle &
Ma
Mass  Ratio ( ) =   &
Mass flow rate of carrier gas Ma  g

• Increase in M, increases the MRR, but Large M reduces the

jet velocity and sometime block the nozzle. Thus an
optimal M found.

8
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Factors

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Characteristics

9
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Applications

• Drilling holes, cutting slots, cleaning hard surfaces,

deburring, polishing.

• Deburring of cross holes, slots, and threads in small

precision parts such as hydraulic valves, aircraft fuel
systems, and medical appliances.

• Machining intricate shapes or holes in sensitive, brittle,

thin, or difficult-to-machine materials.

• Frosting glass and trimming of circuit boards, hybrid circuit

resistors, capacitors, silicon, and gallium.

• Removal of films and delicate cleaning of irregular surfaces.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Advantages

1. No heat is produced, used for heat sensitive

material.

2. The process is used for machining superalloys and

refractory materials.

3. Intricate parts of sharp corners can be machined.

4. The machined materials do not experience

hardening.

5. No initial hole is required for starting the operation

6. No tool changes are required.

10
 12‐08‐2019

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Limitations

1. Low material removal rate.

2. Stray cutting can’t be avoided.

3. The tapering effect may occur especially when

drilling in metals.

4. The abrasive may get impeded in the work surface.

5. Suitable dust-collecting systems should be provided.

6. Soft materials can’t be machined by the process.

ABRASIVE JET MACHINING PROCESS (AJM)-

Numerical

1. During AJM, the mixing ratio used is 0.2. Calculate

mass ratio it the ratio of density of abrasive and
density of carrier gas is equal to 20. {Ans: 0.8}

2. Diameter of the nozzle is 1.0 mm and Jet velocity is

200 m/s. Find the volumetric flow rate (cm3/s) of
the carrier gas and abrasive mixture. {Ans: 50pie }

3. In AJM process, the mass flow rate of carrier gas is

twice to that of abrasive particles then find the
mixing ratio.

11