Why Do Most Waterjet Machines Use Garnet Abrasive?
Abrasive is one of the most important components in the waterjet cutting process. While pure waterjets (without abrasives) can cut softer materials such as foam and rubber, adding abrasives enhances the cutting power of the jet, allowing it to cut glass, steel, and various other components. As you might imagine, the type of abrasive used is critical to determining machining performance.
Why Do Most Waterjet Machines Use Garnet Abrasive?
Professionals have tested a wide range of synthetic and natural materials for waterjet cutting, and the industry’s prominent choice is garnet. Garnet abrasive forms sharp edges when fractured, delivering superior cutting ability. It offers excellent durability, density, and particle shape to maximize cutting performance.
On the Mohs hardness scale, diamond has a hardness of 10 (the hardest known substance), while garnet typically ranges from 7.5 to 8.0. Despite the availability of harder minerals, garnet generally provides the best hardness at the most reasonable cost.
As an abrasive material, garnet offers the following advantages:
- High hardness. Garnet typically lasts a long time before needing replacement, making it a cost-effective abrasive.
- Multiple grit sizes. Garnet is available in various particle sizes designed to produce different results, such as smooth or rough surfaces, depending on the hardness of the material being processed. In most cases, companies use finer grits for processes requiring higher edge quality, while larger grits are most effective for projects that demand faster cutting.