Chip control in tube turning using a high-pressure water jet

A stable chip control using inserts with integrated chip formers is difficult, especially if the feed rate or cutting depth is not within the range recommended for the insert. This paper shows the possibility of controlling the chip upcurl radius in turning by using flat inserts without any chip formers. An experimental study was made of the skew cutting of an end of a pipe using a plain water jet with a pressure of up to 80 MPa and a flow of up to 8 l/min. The jet was directed perpendicularly to the cutting edge into the tool/chip interface. Investigations show that the chip upcurl radius can be successfully controlled. A correlation between water jet power, jet momentum and upcurl radius is presented and discussed. An empirical model of the above-mentioned correlation is also suggested.