Versatility of Waterjet Technology

Peter H.-T. Liu earned his doctorate from Colorado State University, USA, in 1972 and boasts a distinguished 50-year career in experimental fluid dynamics and waterjet technology. He joined Flow Research/Flow Industries, Inc. in 1973 and spearheaded his R&D efforts in experimental fluid dynamics, focusing on qualitative and quantitative flow visualization for both laboratory and field investigations. Research topics spanned from naval hydrodynamics, turbulence in homogeneous and stratified fluids, transport of pollution in complex terrain, to wake studies of wind turbines and aircraft. Under the mentorship of Dr John H. Olsen, he transitioned his research focus in 1995 to waterjet technology, leading to significant advancements and successful commercialization in waterjet micromachining. Dr Liu’s extensive experience uniquely prepared him to tackle waterjet challenges, fostering collaborations with universities and research institutes, resulting in his numerous publications. Despite retiring from OMAX/Hypertherm in March 2022, he continues his R&D endeavors, currently focusing on precision micromachining, and is working on a second book detailing the history of waterjets.

“The inaugural BHRA Waterjet Conference in 1972 marked the beginning of high-pressure waterjets’ transformation from laboratory novelties to indispensable industrial tools, now comprising a multi-billion-dollar market annually. The pioneering research behind this evolution, initially documented in conference proceedings, technical journals, and books, is now at risk due to many of these publications being out of print as original authors retire. This collection of papers tracks the evolution of abrasive-waterjet studies, providing a vital repository of empirical data, methodologies, and innovative thinking that drove this technical revolution. It also offers insights into resolving manufacturing challenges, many of which are now solvable. Peter was uniquely positioned both to conduct research advancing waterjet technology and now to provide this permanent record.”Curators’ Professor Emeritus David A. SummersMissouri University of Science and Technology, USA“I have known Dr Peter Liu as a prolific author and distinguished scholar for about 45 years. In the first half of Dr Liu’s career, his research was focused on fluid mechanics and instrumentation, which enriched the other half of his career focusing on abrasive waterjet machining (AWJM). In this excellent compilation, Dr Liu brings together a wealth of knowledge covering a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from fundamentals to cutting-edge applications. This diversity and capabilities of the AWJ technology will benefit readers with a wealth of knowledge and provide a deep understanding of the intricate interplay between different AWJs and materials parameters. From shaping and milling to precision drilling, the versatility of AWJM is showcased through real-world examples and case studies, illustrating its efficacy in manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and beyond. This book uniquely delves into micro abrasive waterjet machining (μAWJM), wherein Dr Liu’s research opens new vistas for high-precision, miniature-scale machining, with implications for microelectronics, medical devices, and micro-manufacturing.”Dr Mohamed HashishFlow International Corporation, and University of Washington, USA

• Part 1 1. Measurements of Water-Droplets and Abrasive Speeds in an Ultrahigh-Pressure Waterjets and Abrasive-Waterjets 2. Near-Net Shaping of Optical Surfaces with UHP Abrasive Suspension Jets 3. Evaluation of Nozzle Health States for AWJ Machining 4. A Vanishing Abrasive Cryogenic Jet for Airframe Depainting 5. Enhancement of Ultrahigh-Pressure Technology with LN2 Cryogenic Jets Part 2 6. CFD and Physical Modeling of UHP AWJ Drilling 7. Hole Drilling with Abrasive Fluidjets Part 3 8. Collateral Damage by Stagnation Pressure Buildup during Abrasive-Fluidjet Piercing 9. Machining Honeycomb Composites with Abrasive-Waterjets 10. Piercing in Delicate Materials with Abrasive-Waterjets 11. Applications of Abrasive-Fluidjets for Precision Machining of Composites Part 4 12. Waterjet Technology for Machining Fine Features Pertaining to Micromachining 13. Micro Abrasive-Waterjet Technology 14. Novel Processes for Improving Precision of Abrasive Waterjet Machining 15. Versatile Micro Abrasive Waterjet Technology for Machining Nanomaterials Part 5 16. Roles of Abrasives in AWJ Meso-Micro Machining 17. Roles of Taper Compensation in AWJ Ultra-Precision Machining 18. Precision Machining of Advanced Materials with Waterjets Part 6 19. Application of Abrasive-Waterjet for 3D Machining 20. Advanced Waterjet Technology for Machining Curved and Layered Structures 21. Advanced Abrasive Waterjet for Multimode Machining Part 7 22. Abrasive-Waterjet Technology for Biomedical Applications 23. Low-Cost Manufacturing of Flow Channels with Multi-Nozzle Abrasive-Waterjets: A Feasibility Investigation 24. Applications of Abrasive-Waterjets for Machining Fatigue-Critical Aerospace Aluminum Parts 25. Fatigue Performance Enhancement of AWJ-Machined Aircraft Aluminum with Dry-Grit Blasting 26. Machining of Aircraft Titanium with Abrasive-Waterjets for Fatigue Critical Applications Part 8 27. Economic and Technical Efficiency of High Performance Abrasive Waterjet Cutting 28. "7M" Advantage of Abrasive Waterjet for Machining Advanced Materials Part 9 29. Performance Comparison on Meso-Micro Machining of Waterjet, Lasers, EDM, and CNC Milling 30. Performance Comparison of Subtractive and Additive Machine Tools for Meso-Micro Machining Part 10 31. Review of Accomplishments in Abrasive-Waterjet Technology from Macro to Micro Machining: Part 1 32. Review of Accomplishments in Abrasive-Waterjet Technology from Macro to Micro Machining: Part 2