Choosing the right garnet abrasive for waterjet cutting is important because it can make a big difference in performance. If you choose a poor quality or wrong type of garnet abrasive, it can cause serious problems with your waterjet cutter.
Garnet is the most common type of abrasive for waterjet cutting, but you should be aware of some aspects of garnet abrasives before you purchase one.
The type of material you’re cutting, the size of the particles you need, and how aggressive you want the cut, are all play an important part in which abrasive is best for your needs.
Here we will explain what is garnet abrasive for waterjet cutting. We will also discuss the things that you need to look for when choosing the right garnet abrasive.
What is Garnet Abrasive?
Garnet is a widely used abrasive in waterjet cutting because it is eco-friendly and will not create harmful dust particles like other types of abrasives. It consists of minerals from the abrasive family, including Spessartite, Almandite, Andradite, Grossularite, and Pyrope.
Garnet is a naturally occurring abrasive that has been used for centuries. It’s hard, durable, and ideal for waterjet cutting. It works well with thick materials because it doesn’t damage the substrate underneath.
It is ground, crushed, and sifted to produce finer pieces between 60 mesh (250 micrometers) and 200 mesh (74 micrometers). These pieces are used for water jet cutting.
Garnet abrasive has proven to be quite useful for cutting a variety of materials, including metal, stone, and glass. Its hardness makes it an ideal material for producing delicate cuts, which is a key benefit for waterjet cutting.
Garnet crystals are the most common abrasive used in waterjet cutting because they are not affected by the stream of water or the material being cut.
It also has a relatively good hardness which ranges from 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale for hardness which allows the usage for recycling. In addition, garnet is widely available and is also relatively inexpensive making it a popular choice for manufacturers.
Things to Look for When Buying A Garnet Abrasive
Before you decide to buy a garnet abrasive, it’s important to consider certain factors because the type of garnet abrasive can have a direct impact on the performance of your waterjet machine.
Hardness, toughness, and density are three characteristics that determine the efficiency and power of garnet abrasive. You can use this information to evaluate the quality of your garnet abrasives.
1. Hardness
Before using a garnet abrasive to cut materials, it’s important to do some research on the hardness of the abrasive.
Using a hard abrasive speeds up cutting but results in the nozzle being eroded too quickly in a waterjet. While an abrasive, that is soft, slows down the cutting process. Waterjet cutters must therefore strike a balance between cutting speed and component wear.
The most ideal abrasive, therefore, for waterjet is Almandine garnet. It has relatively good hardness, ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 on the Mohs scale which has been proved to be good for cutting materials.
It successfully strikes a balance between the necessity for rapid cuts and adequate cutting tool life.
Aside from all that, the garnet abrasive is hard and produces better cleaning effects. It has an exceptional recycling rate and can be used more times per month than other abrasives.
2. Toughness
The toughness of the garnet being used can also determine the performance of the waterjet. Harder garnets will withstand greater impact, making them more resistant to breaking, while soft garnets cannot tolerate strong impact and tends to be broken easily.
Tougher garnets are so gentle that they don’t leave any dust behind – allowing you to remove your surface coatings more effectively and efficiently and have a clean slate to work with.
With garnet as an abrasive, you can produce cutting edges that are sharp, angular, and pointed on the material being cut. Due to its semi-friable nature, it provides greater cutting performance than any other abrasive material.
Not only that but the toughness of the garnet also ensures the waterjet cutting machine has a good operating lifetime.
3. Density
The garnet abrasive is a key component of the waterjet, and its density plays a critical role in determining the jet’s performance.
The garnet abrasive being used should be dense enough to withstand the high pressure of the waterjet, but not so dense that it clogs the nozzle.
The ideal garnet abrasive for use in a waterjet has a density of approximately 4.0 g/cm3. This provides the optimal balance between cutting power and nozzle clogging, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications.
Depending on the application industry, different densities of garnet abrasive may be required. For example, denser garnet abrasive is often used for cutting harder materials, while lighter garnet abrasive is better suited for softer materials. As a result, choosing the right garnet abrasive for your waterjet cutting project is essential to getting good results.
4. Particle Shape
Garnet abrasives come in a variety of shapes, however, the correct garnet abrasive for your application will depend on the material you’re cutting and the desired finish. For example, if you’re cutting metal, a garnet abrasive with a sharp, angular shape will be best suited for the job.
On the other hand, if you’re cutting stone or ceramic tile, a garnet abrasive with a more rounded shape will produce a better finish. The type of garnet abrasive you use will also have an effect on the price of your project.
So, when choosing a garnet abrasive for your next project, be sure to consider the particle shape of the abrasive and the material you’ll be cutting.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for garnet abrasive for waterjet cutting, it is important to consider all of the factors involved in order to make sure you select the right product for your needs. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start.
That’s why, we’ve put together this guide – to help you understand what to look for and how to choose the best garnet abrasive for your waterjet or business. If you still have some questions regarding a waterjet or a garnet abrasive don’t hesitate to contact SAME Waterjet for assistance.
