Applications of Water Jet Cutting Technology in Agricultural Engineering: A Review

Abstract

Cutting is a significant part of agricultural material processing, and the cutting technology determines the quality of agricultural products. Water jet cutting technology is a non-contact and cold cutting technology suitable for cutting agricultural materials. It can realize an environmentally friendly cutting process avoiding such problems as heat generation, sharpening and cleaning blades, and microbial cross-contamination. This paper reviews the current status of water jet cutting of six kinds of agricultural materials, including vegetables, fruits, meats, woods, stems, and soils. By analyzing how to complete different cutting operations, improve cutting ability, or control post-cutting influences, the problems and solutions of water jet cutting of each material are summarized. Then, combined with the application requirements, some suggestions are put forward for developing water jet cutting technology. The results would help researchers determine key information required by cutting agricultural materials and provide a reference for further research on water jet cutting technology in agricultural engineering.