Waterjet cutting machines can cut various materials, with abrasive waterjets being best for harder objects. Slurry and trailing types exist, but suspended abrasive waterjets are the most efficient. Standard waterjets are best for softer materials, while abrasive waterjets use rocks to erode metal, stone, and ceramics. The abrasive waterjet slurry system requires frequent maintenance, while the entrainment system causes less wear. Suspended abrasive waterjets are accurate and efficient, making them ideal for micromachining.
Waterjet cutting machines can cut various materials easily, but some types are best for certain substances. For example, the typical waterjet can cleanly cut softer materials, while an abrasive waterjet is usually best for cutting harder objects. The latter category is divided into a few types, as there are slurry abrasive waterjet cutting machines, as well as trailing types. Additionally, a suspended abrasive waterjet is considered a more advanced type of abrasive waterjet, as it is generally the most efficient when it comes to cutting hard materials quickly and accurately.
A standard waterjet cutting machine uses a water stream that is pressurized enough to allow it to cut material. It is best used to cut objects that are soft or that already have several cracks so that this tool can cut them cleanly. Some of the materials that are commonly cut by regular waterjet cutting machines include diapers, car interiors, and tissue paper.
Harder objects usually require the use of abrasive waterjet cutting machines, where water is used to drive abrasive particles that can easily erode hard materials. The abrasive particles are usually various rocks ground into sand and typical materials cut by abrasive waterjet cutting machines include metal, stone and ceramics. The abrasive waterjet slurry system works by mixing the abrasive particles with water before pressurization occurs. Unfortunately, this process tends to accelerate wear and tear on the machine, forcing it to require frequent maintenance and repairs.
The abrasive water jet entrainment system, on the other hand, mixes the abrasive particles in a chamber after the water has already passed through the nozzle. Once the particles have been propelled forward with the water, they are sent out of the orifice in a stream. This process typically leads to less wear on the machine.
Many consider the suspended abrasive waterjet system to be the most efficient type, as it is known to cut objects accurately and quickly without using excessive power. These waterjet cutting machines suspend abrasive particles in a water-based gel, which is then propelled towards the material to be cut. It is accurate enough to cut small objects perfectly, which is why it is often used in micromachining projects.
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