Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining

Micro-Abrasive Water Jet Machining (µAWJM) has become a critical technology for precision micro-manufacturing, addressing the limitations of both conventional and other unconventional machining methods. Its significance lies in its ability to process complex geometries in a vast range of materials—i...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Ghasemian Fard, Akash Nag, Jana Petrů, Sergej Hloch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025025162
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author Mohammad Ghasemian Fard
Akash Nag
Jana Petrů
Sergej Hloch
author_facet Mohammad Ghasemian Fard
Akash Nag
Jana Petrů
Sergej Hloch
author_sort Mohammad Ghasemian Fard
collection DOAJ
description Micro-Abrasive Water Jet Machining (µAWJM) has become a critical technology for precision micro-manufacturing, addressing the limitations of both conventional and other unconventional machining methods. Its significance lies in its ability to process complex geometries in a vast range of materials—including thermally sensitive polymers, brittle advanced ceramics, composites, superalloys, and thin-film structures—without inducing damage. As a non-thermal disintegration process, µAWJM holds a distinct advantage over methods like laser cutting and EDM by creating minimal heat-affected zones, thereby preventing the material degradation, warping, and residual stresses that often necessitate costly post-processing. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of µAWJM's fundamental principles, including fluid dynamics, abrasive particle behavior, and material removal mechanisms. It examines the intricate interplay of key process parameters such as abrasive particle size (MESH), nozzle geometry, fluid pressure, and standoff distance, and how these parameters influence machining performance and surface integrity. Recent technological advancements, including optimized abrasive delivery systems and the integration of machine learning for process optimization, are critically evaluated. This review not only highlights the inherent advantages of µAWJM but also addresses current challenges such as kerf taper, nozzle wear, and the efficient machining of novel materials. Furthermore, it delves into the diverse applications of µAWJM across microfluidics, biomedical engineering, aerospace, and electronics, showcasing its versatility in fabricating complex microstructures. Finally, this review outlines future research directions, ultimately solidifying µAWJM's crucial role in the future of sustainable and precise manufacturing.
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spelling doaj-art-2c2cefca425a4c29b4b6c8bd1ef673cd2025-08-20T02:45:27ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710644710.1016/j.rineng.2025.106447Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachiningMohammad Ghasemian Fard0Akash Nag1Jana Petrů2Sergej Hloch3Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Poruba, Ostrava 708 00, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Poruba, Ostrava 708 00, Czech Republic; Corresponding author.Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Poruba, Ostrava 708 00, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Poruba, Ostrava 708 00, Czech RepublicMicro-Abrasive Water Jet Machining (µAWJM) has become a critical technology for precision micro-manufacturing, addressing the limitations of both conventional and other unconventional machining methods. Its significance lies in its ability to process complex geometries in a vast range of materials—including thermally sensitive polymers, brittle advanced ceramics, composites, superalloys, and thin-film structures—without inducing damage. As a non-thermal disintegration process, µAWJM holds a distinct advantage over methods like laser cutting and EDM by creating minimal heat-affected zones, thereby preventing the material degradation, warping, and residual stresses that often necessitate costly post-processing. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of µAWJM's fundamental principles, including fluid dynamics, abrasive particle behavior, and material removal mechanisms. It examines the intricate interplay of key process parameters such as abrasive particle size (MESH), nozzle geometry, fluid pressure, and standoff distance, and how these parameters influence machining performance and surface integrity. Recent technological advancements, including optimized abrasive delivery systems and the integration of machine learning for process optimization, are critically evaluated. This review not only highlights the inherent advantages of µAWJM but also addresses current challenges such as kerf taper, nozzle wear, and the efficient machining of novel materials. Furthermore, it delves into the diverse applications of µAWJM across microfluidics, biomedical engineering, aerospace, and electronics, showcasing its versatility in fabricating complex microstructures. Finally, this review outlines future research directions, ultimately solidifying µAWJM's crucial role in the future of sustainable and precise manufacturing.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025025162Micro-manufacturingMicro-machiningAbrasive water jetWater jetSuspension jetNon-thermal disintegration
spellingShingle Mohammad Ghasemian Fard
Akash Nag
Jana Petrů
Sergej Hloch
Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
Results in Engineering
Micro-manufacturing
Micro-machining
Abrasive water jet
Water jet
Suspension jet
Non-thermal disintegration
title Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
title_full Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
title_fullStr Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
title_full_unstemmed Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
title_short Towards sustainable precision: A review of water jet meso and micromachining
title_sort towards sustainable precision a review of water jet meso and micromachining
topic Micro-manufacturing
Micro-machining
Abrasive water jet
Water jet
Suspension jet
Non-thermal disintegration
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025025162
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AT sergejhloch towardssustainableprecisionareviewofwaterjetmesoandmicromachining