Influence of machining with ceramic brushes on the surface quality of EN-AW 7075 aluminum alloy after abrasive waterjet process

One of the main technological operations in the production process is the cutting operation. Due to the use of various materials, with different properties and shapes, cutting of materials with a water-abrasive jet is increasingly competing with traditional processing methods. The quality of cutting operations is important for technological, operational and work safety reasons. One of the methods that allows for the simultaneous improvement of the geometrical condition of the surface layer and the elimination of sharp edges, processed after cutting with an abrasive water jet, especially in the area of the material jet exit, is brushing the surface with ceramic brushes. The aim of the work is to analyze the possibility of surface treatment of the EN-AW 7075 aluminum alloy used in the aviation industry after cutting with a water-abrasive jet and to determine the effect of ceramic brush processing conditions on the surface quality. A significant influence of the number of passes and the type of ceramic fiber of the brush on the surface roughness after brushing was demonstrated.