Factorial Analysis of Welding Current Influence on Heat Affected Zone Hardness of Cast Iron, Aluminium, and Mild Steel Weldments Cooled in Palm Oil

Factorial analysis of heat affected zone hardness of some metals was evaluated. Three models were derived and used as tools for evaluating the welding current influence on the predictability of HAZ hardness in aluminium, cast iron, and mild steel weldments similarly cooled in palm oil. It was discovered that on welding these materials, and similarly cooling their respective weldments in palm oil, the model predicts aluminium weldment HAZ hardness by multiplying the determined general current product rule (GCPR) with the ratio: HAZ hardness product of cast iron and mild steel/HAZ hardness sum of cast iron and mild steel . Computational analysis of experimental and model-predicted results indicates that aluminium, cast iron, and mild steel weldment HAZ hardness per unit welding current as evaluated from experiment and derived model are 3.3917, 4.8333, and 2.7944 and 3.3915, 4.8335, and 2.7946 (VHN) A−1, respectively. Deviational analysis shows that the maximum deviation of model-predicted HAZ hardness from the experimental results is less than 0.007%. This invariably implies over 99.99 % confidence level for the derived models.