Investigational Analysis on Wire Electrical Discharge Machining of Aluminium Based Composites by Taguchi’s Method

Abstract

A wide range of engineering domains, such as aeronautical, automobiles, and marine, rely on the use of Metal Matrix Composites (MMC). Due to the excellent properties, such as hardness and strength, Aluminum base MMC are generally adopted in various uses. Due to the increasing number of reinforcement materials being added to the MMC, its properties are expected to improve. In this exploratory analysis, an effort was given to develop a new aluminium-based MMC. The analysis of the machinability of the composite was also performed. The process of creating a new MMC using a stir casting technique was carried out. It resulted in a better and more reinforced composite than its base materials. The reinforcement materials were fabricated using different weight combinations and process parameters, such as the temperature and duration required to stir. Due to the improved properties of the composite, the traditional machining method is not feasible for machining of these materials. Wire Electro-Discharge Machining (WEDM) is commonly used for machining harder materials and especially for making intricate shapes. The machining has been performed through the use of pulse on, a pulse off, and an applied current. The experiments conducted under the supervision of Taguchi are designed to be performed according to the specified parameters and outputs. These variables are considered to be important in improving the performance of the process. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) has been adopted to examine the significance of the various factors on the preferred output. The results of this study can help the manufacturer improve the performance of the WEDM process.