Open Access Conference Proceedings

This article describes experiments performed to assess the effectiveness of abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting used to cut copper. The roughness parameters of the cut surface and the kerf widths were measured using a TOPO L120 contact profilometer and a Nikon Eclipse MA 200 optical microscope. The experiments revealed that the traverse speed of the jet was a significant parameter affecting the surface roughness parameters and the kerf width. An increase in the traverse speed caused an increase in the surface roughness parameters. This was particularly visible along the bottom edge of the workpiece. Higher cutting speeds were also responsible for a reduction in the smooth cutting region on the cut surface. An increase in the traverse speed caused the kerf to narrow, with the kerf width decreasing both at the top and the bottom. It is thus important to select the correct traverse speed to obtain the required surface quality while keeping the efficiency of the cutting process high.

Keywords: Waterjet cutting, copper, surface roughness, kerf width

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