Abrasive Recycling Technology Can Help Reduce Waterjet Costs

My experience, we had set up weirs and settling containers to separate the garnet out. but as far as reusing, It was hard to justify it, just due to the work involved in drying the abrasives.

Nothing its expensive enough having to take your water-jet offline, to clean/clear-out you mixing tube on your head or to unblock the line, because there's moisture/contamination in the line cause it to plug.

The biggest issue, is hiring a sanitation truck to pump out you refuse under your cutting table. But, if you can get a good sanitation contractor, that's not much of a problem.

Thanks for your comment!

When cutting at 60,000 psi or below, only a portion of the abrasive is pulverized. The majority actually manages to reach the bottom of the tank without any significant change to its shape, size, or overall characteristic.

I'll accept that as true, but I would think that a bigger issue here is separating the abradant (abrasive medium)(I don't know if that is an official word, but it should be!) from the material that has been cut.

The other problem is, if you cut steel, and then stainless, and if you have recycled abrasives, you may have problems with the weld oxidizing. or plastic or whatever, you welds, may be compromised.

Until, someone shows me otherwise, with the price of garnet, it's not worth the 'risk' of recycling.