Optimization of Nickel – Chromium Electroplating Process for Corrosion Resistance Using Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

1 Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, MGM’s JNEC, Aurangabad (MH), India 2 Professor, Mechanical Engineering, CHH.SH College of Engineering, Aurangabad (MH), India 3 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, CHH.SH College of Engineering, Aurangabad (MH), India Abstract— Electroplating process holds a good share in plating industries as its gives good results and it is very much cost effective. The process is the continuous sequential high productive process. The electroplating of Nickelchromium metals finds wide applications. It is used to improve the appearance and life by increasing corrosion resistance, hardness and wear resistance in chemical, electronic, automobile industries. This work is carried out to study the effect of time and density on corrosion resistance. Process parameters are optimized to improve corrosion resistance. In this work, the nickel-chromium plating was done on cold draw electric resistance butt welded steel tubes (CEW) to prepare test workpiece. Taguchi‟s L16-orthogonal array was used to design experiments with output quality characteristic as corrosion resistance. Regressions modelling method has been used to developed the mathematical model which establishes the relation between input and output parameter. Process parameters were optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) and optimum values are found. It was observed that a time is more dominating factor than a density of the solution. Keywords— Electroplating, Surface Engineering, Bright Nickel, Semi Bright Nickel Plating, Genetic Algorithm