Barrelling effect and surface roughness during abrasive water jet turning of Inconel 718

Abrasive Waterjet Turning (AWJT) is a novel removal technology that uses a high-pressure water stream and abrasive particles to replace the traditional turning process. However, because waterjet cutting is preferred for soft, reflective, conductive, and temperature-sensitive materials, expertise of this cutting technology is limited. The majority of material stock is suited for waterjet cutting in plate form rather than cylindrical form. As a result, the AWJT faces hurdles in achieving increased dimensional accuracy and a superior surface finish. This paper investigates the effect of spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut on the surface roughness of Inconel 718 when turning under abrasive water jet (AWJT). The two level factorial was employed in the experiment to study the effect between the control variables and the response (L-16). The investigated AWJT parameters were spindle speed (60 and 90 rpm), feed rate (1.0 and 3.0 mm/min) and depth of cut (0.1 mm and 0.5 mm). The results showed that the interaction between the feed rate and the depth of cut was the primary factor controlling surface roughness. The responses of various factors were plotted using one factor effect plot. It has been found an improved barrelling shape and reveal the cutting under clockwise direction produced a better surface texture and the groove is almost invisible.