Study on cutting speed and energy utilization rate in processing stainless steel with abrasive water jet

Cutting speed and energy utilization rate are two very important technical indexes for judging metal processing with abrasive water jet (AWJ). Cutting speed is related to the time benefit, while energy utilization rate is related to the economic benefit of AWJ processing. Based on theory of inelastic impact mechanics and hydrodynamics, the mathematical model of cutting speed and energy utilization rate in processing stainless steel with AWJ was established. And the discrete numerical analysis of the mathematical model was carried out. The effects of different jet parameters on cutting speed and energy utilization rate were explored. Cutting experiments were carried out to verify the model. The results show that with the increase of outlet pressure, the cutting speed increases linearly. With the increase of outlet pressure of 5 MPa, the cutting speed increases by 0.075 mm/s. When the outlet pressure increases from 10 to 46 MPa, the energy utilization rate decreases from 137 to 51.2 MJ/mm³. With the increase of mass fraction of abrasive, the cutting speed and energy utilization rate will increase first and then decrease. When the mass fraction increases from 5 to 25%, the cutting speed increases from 0.1504 to 0.2024 mm/s then decreases to 0.1308 mm/s, and the energy utilization rate increases from 35.13 to 43.93 MJ/mm³ then decreases to 23.73 MJ/mm³. The change of size of abrasive particle has no significant effect on cutting speed and energy utilization rate.