Optimisation of TA6V alloy surface laser texturing using an experimental design approach

Abstract

Active surfaces of plastic injection moulds are nowadays textured using classical techniques (chemical etching or EDM). Replacement of these technologies by a laser technology introduces a big flexibility: absence of mechanical contact with the tool, decrease of the effluent's volume and a big machining precision, even in the case of the complex forms as injection moulds for example. This paper reports the experimental study of the surface laser texturing of TA6V alloy. The influence of the operating factors on the laser texturing process has been studied using two experimental approaches: Taguchi methodology and response surface methodology (RSM). Empirical models have been developed. They allowed us to determine a correlation between process operating factors and performance indicators, such as surface roughness and material removal rate. Results analysis shows that the laser pulse energy and frequency are the most important operating factors. Mathematical models, that have been developed, can be used for the selection of operating factors’ proper values in order to obtain the desired values of the objective functions.