An acoustic emission study of cutting bauxite refractory ceramics by abrasive water

This article discusses the material removal process in bauxite refractory c eramics cut by abrasive water jets. Several parameters of the process were changed during the experiments, The experiments were monitored online by th e acoustic emission (AE) technique. It was found that AE signals are able t o sense the material removal process as well as the machining performances very reliably. Unsteady material removal mode consisting of matrix removal and intergranular fracture was very well represented in the AE signals by a n unsteady time dependent signal type characterized by burst emissions and a frequency domain signal associated with a twin-peak shape, The particular characteristics of the signal depend on the energy involved in the process .