Ultra-high-pressure water jetting is a cold-cutting technology that processes materials using a high-pressure stream of water-either pure or mixed with abrasives-to perform operations such as cutting and fragmentation. It is compatible with a wide range of materials, including metals (e.g., steel, aluminum, titanium, Inconel alloys), composites (e.g., carbon fiber, glass fiber), stone, ceramics, plastics, rubber, and wood. This technology is particularly well-suited for the precision machining of complex shapes and thick materials, offering advantages such as the absence of thermal deformation, high precision, and strong material adaptability.
Ultra-high-pressure water jet technology can be utilized for the recycling of used radial tires, recovering material by pulverizing the rubber into powder. Research indicates that a room-temperature desulfurization reaction occurs during the fragmentation process; the effectiveness of this desulfurization varies with water jet pressure, peaking at approximately 200 MPa. The fragmentation mechanism primarily involves crack propagation originating from initial micro-cracks; the combined action of crack propagation and shearing, accompanied by cavitation phenomena, leads to both intergranular and transgranular material failure. The driving pressure of the water jet is the primary factor influencing the particle size of the recovered rubber powder.
Water jet technology is capable of cutting all types of composite materials, such as fiberglass, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, reinforced concrete, ceramic-matrix composites, and metal-matrix composites. It finds extensive application in sectors including aerospace, automotive manufacturing, and construction-for instance, in the production of aircraft components, race car bodies, and architectural panels. Key advantages include speed, precision, the absence of a heat-affected zone, and reduced material waste.
The advantages of ultra-high-pressure water jet processing include its nature as a cold-cutting process, which avoids thermal deformation and thermal stress in the material; high machining precision, allowing for the processing of complex shapes; broad material adaptability, making it suitable for almost all materials; and a clean process free from dust pollution. Its limitations include the need for pre-drilled pilot holes when cutting certain materials, an inability to effectively cut tempered glass, and high skill requirements for operators.
