Response Surface Methods Used for Optimization of Abrasive Waterjet Machining of the Stainless Steel X2 CrNiMo 17-12-2

Abrasive waterjet machining (AWJM) has a particularly high potential for the machining of stainless steels. One of the main optimization objectives of the machining of X2 CrNiMo 17-12-2 stainless steel is obtaining a minimal surface roughness. This entails selecting an optimum configuration of the main influencing factors of the machining process. Optimization of the machining system was achieved by intervening on four selected input quantities (traverse speed, waterjet pressure, stand-off distance, and grit size), with three set points considered for each. The effects of modifying the set-points of each input parameter on the surface roughness were studied. By means of response surface methodology (RSM) the combination of factor set points was determined that ensures a minimum roughness of the machined surface. The main benefit of RSM is the reduced time needed for experimenting.