This work's main goal is to evaluate the effectiveness and viability of using sand as an abrasive medium in abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) to cut laser-cladded stainless steel. To improve machining efficiency and surface quality, it seeks to determine the ideal process parameters that maximise material removal rate (MRR) while minimising surface roughness. To better understand the metallurgical reaction of cladded layers under high-pressure abrasive erosion, the study also investigates the microstructural changes that take place during AWJM.
In this work, the precision cutting of laser-cladded stainless steel utilising sand as the abrasive medium is investigated using AWJM. The impact of three important process parameters stand-off distance, abrasive flow rate and traverse speed was assessed using a Box-Behnken Design under response surface methodology (RSM). Surface roughness (Ra) and MRR were chosen as the performance responses. Additionally, to monitor microstructural alterations and evaluate metallurgical behaviour during machining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination was carried out.
With a maximum MRR of 3.05 mm3/min and a minimum surface roughness of 2.08 µm, the optimised AWJM parameters demonstrated a positive trade-off between productivity and surface finish. Under various machining settings, SEM examination showed unique surface features, linking finer textures with lower Ra and aggressive erosion with greater MRR. The work demonstrates the efficacy of the RSM-based optimisation strategy for hybrid material processing by confirming that sand abrasives are feasible for cutting cladded surfaces with high accuracy and little damage.
Using sand as an economical and environmentally friendly abrasive to machine laser-cladded substrates a combination that hasn't been extensively studied in the literature, this study offers a unique use of AWJM. A comprehensive assessment of process performance is provided by combining SEM for microstructural evaluation and RSM for parameter optimisation. The study advances hybrid machining techniques for complex, multi-layered materials in vital industrial areas by offering insightful information on striking the ideal balance between material removal and surface integrity.
