Abrasive Jet Machining of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

It is known that the aluminum and aluminum alloys are materials frequently preferred for the aerospatial equipment due to their properties to ensure a certain strength and a low weight of the equipment components. For such reasons, the aluminum and aluminum alloys were utilized just from the first use of metallic materials in the aerospatial equipment. The abrasive jet machining is a machining method based on the effects generated on the workpiece surface by the abrasive particles placed in a high-speed gas stream. Essentially, these effects are materialized by a material removal process and/or a change of the surface aspect. The abrasive jet machining is applied as a subtractive machining method. The objective of the proposed chapter was to offer a general image concerning the theoretical principles and applications of using the abrasive jet machining in the manufacturing of aluminum and aluminum alloys parts included in the aerospatial equipment. A synthesis concerning the main aspects specific to the abrasive jet machining of the aluminum and aluminum alloys was achieved.