Modeling of the machining parameters in turning of Al-5052/TiC/SiC composites: a statistical modeling approach using grey relational analysis (GRA) and response surface methodology (RSM)

Abstract

Purpose

Metal matrix composites (MMC) has been a section which gives an overview of composite materials and owing to those exceptional physical and mechanical properties, particulate-reinforced aluminum MMCs have gained increasing interest in particular engineering applications. Owing to the toughness and abrasive quality of reinforcement components such as silicon carbide (SiC) and titanium carbide (TiC), such materials are categorized as difficult materials for machining. The work aims to develop the model for evaluating the machinability of the materials via the response surface technique by machining three distinct types of hybrid MMCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The combined effects of three machining parameters, namely “cutting speed” (s), “feed rate” (f) and “depth of cut” (d), together with three separate composite materials, were evaluated with the help of three performance characteristics, i.e. material removal rate (MRR), cutting force (CF) and surface roughness (SR). Response surface methodology and analysis of variance (ANOVA) both were initially used for analyzing the machining parameters results.

Findings

The contours were developed to observe the combined process parameters along with their correlations. The process variables were concurrently configured using grey relational analysis (GRA) and the composite desirability methodology. Both the GRA and composite desirability approach obtained similar results.

Practical implications

The results obtained in the present paper will be helpful for decision-makers in manufacturing industries, who work on metal cutting area especially composites, to select the suitable solution by implementing the Grey Taguchi and modeling techniques.

Originality/value

The originality of this research is to identify the suitability of process parameters combination based on the obtained research results. The optimization of machining parameters in turning of hybrid metal matrix composites is carried out with two different methods such as Grey Taguchi and composite desirability approach.

Citation

Pathapalli, V.R., Reddigari, M.R., Anna, E.K., Srinivasa Rao, P. and Ramana Reddy, D.V. (2021), "Modeling of the machining parameters in turning of Al-5052/TiC/SiC composites: a statistical modeling approach using grey relational analysis (GRA) and response surface methodology (RSM)", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 17 No. 5, pp. 990-1006. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-01-2021-0017