Abstract
Friction stir processing (FSP) is a novel technique to fabricate metal matrix composites (MMCs) and surface composites (SCs). In the present study, Taguchi’s technique is used for attaining the optimum value of microhardness for AA5083/Al-Fe in-situ surface composites (SCs) via FSP using 40 hours mechanical alloyed Fe-40wt% Al powder mixture. Three different process parameters i.e. tool shoulder diameter, tool rotational speed, and tool traverse speed each having three levels were selected for optimizing the microhardness of SCs. The experimental study was accomplished by employing Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array. The Microhardness of the fabricated composites was confirmed using Vickers tester after the single-pass FSP. The outcomes of the study were examined and studied using signal to noise (S/N) ratio. The analysis also confirms the results and displayed that the optimum value of microhardness of 123.3 Hv was obtained with the selected parameter of tool shoulder diameter of 21 mm, tool rotational speed of 900 rpm, and traverse speed of 63 mm/min.
Highlights
In recent years in search of advanced structural materials, most of the researchers work in line on admirable substitute of conformist materials such as steel with aluminum alloys as the alternative due to their outstanding specific strength, high strength to weight ratio, good formability, high thermal and electrical conductivity, good corrosion resistance, machinability, and weldability, etc. [1]
On the way to find the effect of friction stir processing (FSP) process parameters on the fabricated surface composites (SCs) Signal-to-Noise ratio (S/N) and Analysis of Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio is assessed for each level of process parameters [30]
Maximum microhardness value is required for high strength and wear characteristics of the SCs, so higher-the-better value characteristics conforming to a greater signal to noise (S/N) ratio and optimum FSP parameter level were evaluated
Summary
In recent years in search of advanced structural materials, most of the researchers work in line on admirable substitute of conformist materials such as steel with aluminum alloys as the alternative due to their outstanding specific strength, high strength to weight ratio, good formability, high thermal and electrical conductivity, good corrosion resistance, machinability, and weldability, etc. [1]. Composites in the form of a metal matrix or surface composites show improved mechanical properties These composites could be manufactured by different approaches such as casting process, mechanical alloying [2], laser sintering methods [3], high-energy electron beam irradiation [4], plasma spraying [5], cast sinter [6] friction stir processing (FSP) [7], etc. These methods suffer certain disadvantages like underprivileged interfacial bonding amongst the metal matrix and reinforcement particles, the formation of high strain in the fabricated composite due to crystal structure mismatching, and surface contamination [8]. Most of these methods are based on liquid-phase processing which gives intermetallic reactions and obnoxious phases within base
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