Multi-Objective Optimization of Pulse Electrochemical Machining Process Parameters by CRITIC-TOPSIS

Abstract

In pulsed electrochemical machining (PECM), it is difficult to control machining stability and surface quality numerous due to the interrelated variables with highly nonlinear and complex characteristics. Thus, how to determine the optimal process parameters to ensure optimal machining performance became a hot research. In this paper, we investigate the recurrence behavior of Ti–48Al–2Cr–2Nb alloy in PECM by recurrence plots and the quantitative analysis. Besides, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution with Criteria Importance through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC-TOPSIS) is employed to determine the optimal process parameters for PECM. The results demonstrate that the recurrence plots exhibit periodic characteristics at the macro level, and effectively identify current density changes in different dissolution stages of the alloy at the micro level. Each pulse stage exhibits an inherent oscillation frequency, and the recurrence plots display a similar block structure with evident fractal features. The optimal result show that the optimal process parameters for the potential, the duty cycle, electrolyte pressure and the feed velocity is 16 V, 40%, 0.4 MPa and 0.9 mm/min, respectively. After optimization, the machining stability and the surface morphology uniformity improves by 29.82 and 72.78%, respectively, and the surface roughness decreases by 24.09%, providing a basis for establishing the quantitative relationship between the machining stability and the surface roughness.