How to select the right water jet abrasive?

Water jet cutting is either with plain water or with the help of abrasives. Mostly plain water is used for soft surfaces, and companies need abrasives for a refined finish. However, it may be a confusing choice to make. Abrasive suppliers in UAE have superior quality materials to meet all the requirements, but one must always be prepared before visiting them.

So how do you select the right water jet abrasive?

We can guide you through abrasives and help to choose one that suits the requirements. Here are the pointers that will help you get a deep and defined cut.

What material do you want to cut through water jet cutting?

Determine if it is a soft surface of rubber, foam, or other gasket materials wherein plain water can help. In case it is steel, stainless steel, aluminum, tempered glass, composite, laminate, stone, or another hard surface, ensure to use an abrasive.

When choosing an abrasive for water jet cutting, one must mainly look into the following 4 points.

Hardness- Using a hard abrasive may escalate your task's speed, but it tends to erode the nozzle. Similarly, a soft abrasive will be easy on the nozzle but may take an eternity to conclude the task. Most fabricators tend to use an abrasive that lies in the Mohs scale of 7 to 8. It works efficiently without damaging the nozzle.

Density- The density of abrasive determines its force by which it hits the surface. If you cannot attain the desired force, the results will not be appealing. Hence density plays an important role in the selection of abrasive for water jet cutting.

A light abrasive will not create a difference onto the surface, while a heavy one shall damage it. An abrasive that falls into the right range will be suitable. One material that abrasive suppliers count on is Almandine garnet that with a gravity of 4 is an ideal choice.

Toughness- Toughness refers to the strength of the abrasive. It may also be scanned as the abrasive's brittleness. With extreme force during water jet cutting, some abrasives tend to break and create an uneven finish on the surface. Others are overly hard, and these round-up during the mixing process, which again doesn't perform well. The abrasive that has right depths, angles, and sharp edges when perpetuated from the nozzle performs well.

Particle shape- It is evident that the shape of an abrasive determines the cut. The abrasives are of various shapes. There are beads like steel shots. The companies also own razor-sharp abrasives like silicon carbide. One must recognize the right particle for water jet cutting and turn for one that is most suitable for the task. The sharp angular abrasives perform better and also render superior finishes.

When you understand the factors to choose the right water jet abrasive, a visit to the suppliers can help you learn more about the subject. Here are some qualities of abrasives that one must look during selection.

Double shifted- When the abrasive supplier informs that the materials are double shifted, it means that it has a consistent size and will provide uniform results. The ones with varying size may block the nozzle and will never deliver results.

The purity of the abrasive- An abrasive with zero impurities enhances the quality. The soft impurities can extend the duration of the water jet cutting. If these are hard, they will cut faster and deteriorate the life of the nozzle.

Price- Determine the price only after thoroughly examining the abrasive. Sometimes you may have to pay more for the one with superior qualities. Hence do not keep the price as the deciding factor.

The takeaway

Choosing the right supply partner is an important action for a metal fabricator. Always visit a trustworthy abrasive supplier in UAE who shall guide you through the massive world of abrasives. Speed blast offer precision water jet cutting services to even the most stringent tolerances. We are specialized in quality water jet solutions for a broad range of industries and applications.

For more information on our Water jet cutting services, contact us today.