Since the introduction of the abrasive waterjet cutting technology as a manufacturing process in the 1970s, there has been considerable research into predictive modeling of the cutting performance as a function of the various process parameters. The results of these research efforts have greatly expanded their capabilities and the ease of use in almost every sector of manufacturing. With the manufacturing industry's continual strive for improving the overall operational efficiency of manufacturing technologies, improving the output performance versus the input operational costs is one of the primary goals. The purpose of this paper is to present a new way to evaluate the effect of pressure on cutting performance based on actual high pressure pumping hardware. For this a series of separation cutting tests were performed at each constant level of hydraulic power but varying pressure from 225MPa to 570MPa. It was found that when keeping the hydraulic power at the same level, the effect of pressure was negligible. Increasing the available hydraulic power through choosing a larger or more efficient pump, had a much greater effect on cutting performance than even massive increases in pressure. This analysis will help manufacturing organizations better assess the various available technology options in choosing the best solution for their needs.
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