Hybrid Abrasive Waterjet and Milling Process

Machining specially shaped geometrical features on hard-to-machine materials is an important task to solve nowadays in manufacturing research. In some cases, two separate technologies can operate on a single feature, exploiting the best performances of both in an optimized process chain. Deep pocket milling is an emblematic case where a combination of Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) and Milling technology can be used as a close sequential manufacturing strategy. The use of AWJ technology for milling purposes is discussed in this chapter, considering its advantages and limits compared to conventional Milling. It highlights the potential of coupling these two manufacturing technologies, even into a single hybrid machining center. A case study on hybrid deep pocket milling on Grade 5 Ti-alloy Ti6Al4V (Ti-64), developed at Politecnico di Milano, is discussed in this chapter.