ABRASIVE JET

MACHINING(AJM)

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 CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Principle of AJM
3. Mechanism of material removal
4. Setup and Elements of AJM
5. Mathematical model for MRR
6. Parametric Analysis
7. Process capabilities and Applications

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Classification of AMP
 Introduction of AJM
HISTORY:

• High pressure water without abrasives began to

be used as a cutting tool for soft materials in
about 1970

• The increase in cutting power by the addition of

abrasives came in about 1980 for Hard material

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 How AJM works?

h1
F 2 > F1
D1
F1
D2 > D1
Ball
h2> h1
Soft wall

h2

D2
F2
Ball

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Abrasive Jet Machining - Principle

Figure. Principle of Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM)

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 Working Principle and Model
 Abrasive particles are made to impinge on the work material at a high

velocity (300-500 m/s)

 The jet of abrasive particles is carried by carrier gas (air)

 The high velocity stream of abrasive is generated by converting the pressure

energy of the carrier gas to its kinetic energy and hence high velocity jet
 The nozzle directs the abrasive jet in a controlled manner such that Nozzle

Tip Distance(NTD) and the impingement angle can be set desirably

 The high velocity abrasive particles remove the material by erosion as well

as brittle fracture of the work material

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 Working Principle and Model

Figure. Schematic of AJM

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01/09/2023 9
 Mechanism of material removal
Abrasive particles hitting the work surface causes fracture of

work surface and causes formation of cavity.

There is number of cavities form on the work surface.

Increase in nozzle to tip distance (NTD) increases crater diameter

but reduces crater depth.

Crater width ≥ Nozzle inner diameter

Crater depth depends on

 Workpiece material feed rate
 Abrasive particle mass
 Pressure (velocity of impingement)

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 Mechanism of material removal

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 Effect of jet flaring

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 Setup of AJM

Drier and

or
Compressor
Figure. Setup of AJM

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Elements of abrasive jet machining

Gas propulsion system

Abrasive feeder
Mixing chamber
Nozzle
Machining Chamber
Abrasive particles
 Elements of Abrasive Jet System
Gas Propulsion System
• Supplies clean and dry air (Air, Nitrogen and carbon dioxide) to propel
the abrasive particles.

• Gas may be supplied either from a compressor or a cylinder.

• Gas should be non-toxic, cheap, easily available.
• It should not excessively spread when discharged from nozzle into
atmosphere.

• Nozzle pressure of 5 bar and abrasive flow rate varies from 2 to 4

gm/min for fine machining and 10 to 20 gm/min for cutting operation.

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Elements of Abrasive Jet System
Abrasive Feeder
Required quantity of abrasive particles is supplied by abrasive
feeder.
Vibratory chamber can be used to control the quantity
The particles are propelled by carrier gas to a mixing
chamber.
Machining chamber
It is well closed so that concentration of abrasive particles
around the working chamber does not reach to the harmful
limits.
Machining chamber is equipped with vacuum dust collector.

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 Elements of Abrasive Jet System
AJM nozzle
AJM nozzle is usually made of tungsten carbide or sapphire ( usually
life – 300 hours for sapphire , 20 to 30 hours for WC) which has
resistance to wear.
The nozzle is made of either circular or rectangular cross section.
Nozzle pressure  2 to 8.5 kgf/cm2
With increase in wear of a nozzle, the divergence of jet stream
increases resulting in more stray cutting and high inaccuracy.
Use of masks of rubber controls stray cutting.

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Elements of Abrasive Jet System
Abrasive Particles
Aluminum oxide (Al2O3), Silicon carbide (SiC), Glass beads,
crushed glass and sodium bicarbonate are some of
abrasives used in AJM.
Selection of abrasives depends on MRR , type of work
material , machining accuracy

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 Applications
Manufacture of electronic devices, deburring of
plastics
Making of nylon and Teflon parts
Marking on electronic products and permanent
marking on rubber stencils
Deflashing small castings
Cutting titanium foils
Drilling glass wafers
Cutting thin-sectioned fragile component

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 Parametric Analysis
of
AJM Process

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Effect of stand-off distance (NTD)

Stand-off distance has effect on FIG. Variation of material removal rate and
both volumetric material removal penetration rate with stand-off distance.

rate and linear MRR (penetration

depth)

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Effect of Stand-off Distance (NTD)

FIG. Machined cavity profile at different stand-off distances (a) 2 mm, (b) 6 mm, (c)
10 mm, (d) 14 mm, (e) 16 mm and (f) 20 mm. Particle size = 30 µm; nozzle pressure =
14.715 × 104 N/m2 (gauge); mixture ratio = 0.148; cutting time = 60 sec

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Effect of Abrasive Flow Rate
High abrasive flow rate 
no. of abrasive particles
increases  Increase in MRR

FIG. Variation of material removal rate with Abrasive

flow rate.

Abrasive flow rate more than optimum Decreases velocity of

jet  Decreases MRR
* Pressure distributed among more no. of abrasive particles
causes decreases in velocity and hence K. E.
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 Effect of Nozzle Pressure
Nozzle pressure increases
Increases MRR

FIG. Variation of material removal rate with nozzle pressure for

different mixture ratios (a) 0.052, (b) 0.088, (c) 0.109 and (d)
0.143. Particle size = 30 µm; stand-off distance = 16 mm.

•Some critical pressure required to get the penetration action

e.g. Machining of glass by SiC particles (25 µm)  minimum
velocity to achieve critical pressure is 150 m/s

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 Effect of Mixing Ratio

Mixing ratio = Vol. flow rate of abrasive

particles / Vol. Flow rate carrier gas
FIG. Variation of material removal rate with stand-off distance for
different mixture ratios (a) 0.095, (b) 0.148, (c) 0.201 and (d) 0.268.
Particle size = 30 µm; nozzle pressure: 14.715 × 104 N/m2(gauge).

•Increase in mixing ratio  Increases MRR ( up to Optimum Limit)

•Increase in Mixing ratio beyond optimum limit decreases velocity of
abrasive particles  Decreases MRR
•Increase in Mixing ratio  some times block the nozzle.
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 Process Capabilities of AJM
Lower Material removal rate  15 mm3/min

It can be used to cut intricate details on the part

Narrow slots  0.12 to 0.25 mm

It can be used to achieve close tolerances ± 0.12 mm

Surface finish 0.25 to 1.25 µm

AJM can cut steel up to 1.5 mm ,Glass up to 6.3 mm

Machining of thin sectioned hard and brittle materials is

possible.

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Mathematical modeling for AJM
Assumptions of model
Abrasive particles are rigid and having spherical bodies of
diameter equal to grit size
In case of brittle materials: material removal is due to
impact erosion of high velocity particles and K.E. used for
micro-indentations and volume removed is
hemispherical shape whose diameter is equal to chord
length of indentation.
In case of ductile material removal is equal to volume of
indentation.
Material removal by normal impact only. (θ =90o)

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Mathematical modeling for AJM

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r =2rgδ(approximation)
2
Abrasive
Particle
From triangle ABC, we have
Chord length of
AC2=AB2+BC2 indentation
rg2=(rg-δ)2+r2 Depth of
indentation (δ)
rg2=rg2+ δ2-2rgδ + r2
r2=2rgδ - δ2
Фdg
If δ<<rg
r2=2rgδ Volume
A
R
r
removed
B C
(Hemisphere)
δ

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Model for brittle material
2 3
Volume removed in brittle material   r ______ Volume of hemisphre
3
2 3
=  (d g ) 2
1 3
K .E.  mv 2
2
1  3  2
  d g  g  v ___________ mass  volume * density
26 
1
Work done during indentation  F
2
F
Assuming flow strength of matl. ( w ) 
 rg 2
F   w rg 2
F   w d g 
 w d g 2
01/09/2023 Work done by grit  30
2
Model for brittle material
Assuming K. E. is fully used for work material removal
 K.E. = Work done by grit
2
2 3   d 
 (d g  ) 2  w g
3 2
g
  vd g
6 w
MRR = Volume removed by per grit per cycle * No. of impacts made by abrasive particles
per second
MRR= V brittle * Mass flow rate of abrasives / Mass of abrasive grit
2 3 Ma
  (d g ) 2 *
3  3
dg g
6
3
M av 2
MRR  1 3

01/09/2023 g  w
4 4
31
Model for ductile material

Volume removed for ductile material  d g  2
2
MRR= V ductile * Mass flow rate of abrasives / Mass of abrasive grit

M av2
MRR 
2 w

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 Thanks!

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