Recent advances and challenges of abrasive jet machining

Abrasive jet machining (AJM) is a manufacturing technology based on erosion localization and intensification. AJM has a progressively important influence on the machining technology market. Over the past 20 years, there has been an exponential growth in the number of papers that discuss AJM. Various innovations and process developments such as intermittent, submerged, thermally assisted and other jet conditions were proposed. This paper examines AJM's technological advantages and the variety of machining operations in different industries where AJM is utilized. Particular attention is devoted to the micro-texturing capabilities of powder blasting and its application in tribology. New evidence of ductile and brittle material removal mechanisms are reviewed together with recently discovered elastic removal mode. The effects of hydraulic, abrasive and machining parameters on particles kinetic energy, machined surface roughness and footprint size are described in detail. Nozzle wear has a strong dependence on nozzle materials, its geometry, particles size, hardness, and flow rate. The trend of AJM development is a shift from macro to micro scale. Improvements in micro-machining resolution, process controlling and erosion prediction are current challenges facing AJM.