Effect of machining parameters on surface roughness and energy consumption during end milling of stir cast Al-4032/6%SiC composite

Abstract

The machining of metal matrix composite (MMC) presents a significant challenge to the industry. The hard and abrasive nature of the reinforcement causes rapid tool wear and high machining cost. In the present research, Al-4032 based composite with 6% of SiC by weight has been fabricated by stir casting setup. Optical micrographs (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDXA) have been used for the examination of the composite morphological, surface topography, and fracture behavior. Mechanical characterization i.e., testing of the composite for tensile strength, micro-hardness and impact strength has also been carried out. Cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut are the cutting parameters selected to examine the responses—surface finish and energy consumption. The response surface methodology (RSM) based desirability approach has been employed to obtain the best combination of parameters for achieving the desired objectives. The result established that the inclusion of SiC in the base matrix demonstrates improved mechanical properties and a better-machined surface with optimized machining parameters. Multi-response optimization shows that the minimum surface roughness (0.99 μm) and minimum energy consumption (0.17 kWh) during end milling of Al-4032/6%SiC composite have been achieved at cutting speed 199 m min−1, feed rate 500 mm min−1 and depth of cut 0.50 mm. The confirmation experiments show good agreement between the predicted and measured responses.