Keywords

waterjet cutting, cross-linked glass, abrasive, photomicrograph

Abstract

The cutting of cross-linked glasses such as silica and Corning 7059 can be difficult. We conducted an experimental study to determine the feasibility of using a high-speed waterjet to cut thin Corning 7095 glass. Cutting using either pure de-ionized high pressure water at 380 MPa (55 000 psi) or de-ionized water with entrained garnet abrasive was studied. The roughness of the cut surfaces was measured and compared. Photomicrographs were taken of glass examples cut at different traversing rates with pure water and with the abrasive entrained waterjet. Comparative studies of cutting with and without the entrained abrasive material showed that cutting rate of 127 mm/min with abrasive could achieve a smoothness of about 9 µm rms. The abrasive waterjet can cut Corning 7095 glass into any desired shape. The process is safe, inexpensive, fast, and amenable to computer operation.

Original Publication Citation

The following article appeared in F. Yuan, J. A. Johnson, D. D. Allred and R. H. Todd, "Waterjet cutting of cross linked glass," Journal of Vacuum Science Technology A 13(1), Jan/Feb 1995. and may be found at [http://avspublications.org/jvsta/resource/1/jvtad6/v13/i1/p136_s1][http://dx.doi.org/1.1116/1.579427].