Garnet has been the preferred choice for waterjet cutting for decades because of its proven ability to cut faster; produce cleaner, more precise edges; and do so on the widest possible variety of materials.

Four inherent physical characteristics of garnet make all the difference when it comes to waterjet cutting:

Hardness

Waterjet operators need to balance cutting speed and component wear, and garnet does that perfectly. A soft abrasive extends nozzle life but slows down cutting. An abrasive that is too hard offers fast cutting but quickly erodes the nozzle. BARTON garnet measures 7.5-8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which effectively balances the need to cut quickly and provide reasonable component life.

Density

Low-density particles don’t pack enough punch for efficient cutting. Those that are too dense can’t achieve the necessary acceleration through the water stream. A particle density of four times the weight of water, or 4.0, is considered optimal, and that’s what you get with BARTON garnet.

Toughness

Sometimes referred to as friability, particle toughness plays a direct role in how well an abrasive performs. The ideal waterjet abrasive has a measured rate of breakdown and produces sharp, angular cutting edges. BARTON garnet, with its semi-friable nature and conchoidal fracture, fills the need.

Particle Shape

Garnet also has the advantage of coming in two distinct varieties: hard rock and alluvial. BARTON ADIRONDACK hard rock garnet features angular grains with the sharpest edges, which cut deep, straight, and fast and provide the most precise edge finishes. BARTON ALLTEK alluvial garnet features sub-rounded grains like beach sand for standard cutting applications.

BARTON Garnet Tops the Rest

In the early 1980s, when abrasive waterjet machining was becoming a reality, the pioneers of the technology turned to BARTON to develop a garnet abrasive specific to the needs of the waterjet cutting process. That product is now known as ADIRONDACK HPX garnet, and it remains the gold standard for waterjet cutting today. BARTON’s full line of garnet abrasives, encompassing more than a dozen grades, set the bar in the waterjet industry for quality, purity and consistent performance.

Whatever your industry or application — whether you are cutting thick, heavy metals and stone, or thin, delicate materials — there is a BARTON waterjet abrasive that will deliver the speed, edge quality and surface finish you need.

Click here to learn more about ADIRONDACK performance and grades.