Erosion assessment of additive manufactured stainless steel after abrasive water jet interaction

The abrasive water jet (AWJ) technology has predispositions for the surface treatment of the additive manufactured (AM) materials. A systematic approach of AWJ technological parameters adjustment requires the preliminary evaluation of their influence on material in the static position of cutting head, which enables the understanding of erosion process. The study evaluates dimensional characteristics of erosion traces created using the AWJ on AM stainless steel (316 L) at selected combinations of stand-off distance (SOD = 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mm), abrasive mass flow (m a = 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 g·min − 1 ), and exposure time (t = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 s). Examined dimensional characteristics included areal influence of erosion effect, maximal depth of erosion and volume of material removal. The area showed to be strongly influenced by the SOD supported by the m a (max. 37.79 mm 2 ); the depth is also dependent on the SOD, but the m a has significant influence only at lower SODs (max. 1.70 mm), whereas the exposure time enhances impact of these parameters. The volume of material removal is on the highest level at the balanced magnitudes of area and depth (max. 5.51 mm 3 ). The abrasive particles define the morphology of erosion trace in mixture with water within the primary erosion process and influence the surrounding area at secondary erosion process caused by micro-ploughing, with simultaneous fracture of particles. The results represent important input data for the subsequent AWJ treatment of AM materials, with simultaneous contribution into the knowledge in the field of AWJ behaviour on the microscopical scale within its interaction with the AM materials.