INNOVATIVE WATER JET MACHINING PROCESSES

Obdelave z vodnim curkom spadajo med nekonvencionalne obdelovalne postopke. Temeljijo na principu mehanskega odnašanja materiala, kjer se mehanska energija vode in abrazivnih delcev prenese na obdelovanec in tako abrazivni delci in voda z erozijo odnašajo material. Najprej je bila razvita obdelava z vodnim curkom, kasneje pa je bilo ugotovljeno, da se z dodatkom abrazivnih zrn v vodnem curku učinkovitost obdelave zelo poveča. Ker je na določenih področjih čistoča obdelovalnega postopka velikega pomena, so strokovnjaki razvili obdelavo, kjer se abrazivni pesek zamenja z ledenimi zrni, ki po obdelavi enostavno izparijo ali odtečejo. Obdelave z vodnim curkom se vseskozi razvijajo in tako imajo velik potencial, da v prihodnosti presežejo konkurenčne postopke obdelave. Ker so ti postopki obdelave razmeroma novejši, je o njih še premalo literature, s katero bi dobili še boljši vpogled v samo tehnologijo. Prav tako so se obdelave z vodnim curkom šele začele pojavljati v slovenskih podjetjih.Water jet machining processes are non-conventional machining processes. They are based on the principal of the mechanical removal of material, where the mechanical energy of water and abrasive particles are transferred on the workpiece and so the abrasive particles and the water with the erosion cause material removing. Water jet machining was first developed and later it was found that the abrasive grains in the water jet make the process more efficient. The experts also developed a new process, where the abrasive sand is replaced by ice grains, which vaporize or drain after the machining processes is done. So the cleanliness of the machining process is guaranteed. Water jet machining processes are still developing and they have a great potential to become better as competitive machining processes. Water jet machining processes are relatively new and therefore is not a lot of literature about them. They represent innovations in Slovenian companies