Micro AWJ and Micro Milling for deep pocket hybrid Machining

Milling of steels for advanced applications entails heavy stress on the tools, causing premature wear and tool breaking at the entrance or in the initial roughing phase. Micro Abrasive Waterjet (Micro AWJ) is exploited in this study for the roughing operations thanks to its valuable Material Removal Rate and flexibility. A 4 mm wide and 9.5 mm deep pocket is roughed by Micro AWJ and finished by Micro Milling. The main process parameters effect is discussed and assessed, as well as the jet trajectory design. The final objective is removing as much material as possible, but still preserving a layer to be removed by milling. The tool wear in case of plain milling and hybrid machining is inspected, discussing the hybrid solution convenience.