Parametric study using response surface methodology of Ti-Al2O3 (15 vol% of Ti taken as Al2O3 reinforced as alumina fibre into titanium matrix) composite material while undergoing WEDM process

Abstract

For the last few decades a tremendous demand has been observed in terms of developing new engineering materials to cater the need of the modern century especially in the aerospace and automobile industries. Thus new composites materials are evolved especially metal matrix composite materials to fetch the growing desire of the world. But the problem lies machining these composite materials with conventional machining processes become very difficult and thus new machining technologies becomes inevitable to fulfil this demand. New machining processes also emerged to provide a better and alternative machining to these newly fabricated composite materials. In this context when the world demands for new engineering materials to fulfil the market requirements and machining these modern materials by non-conventional machining processes, the present research work aims to put a light on this particular research field. In the present research work attempt has been taken to fabricate Ti-Al2O3 composite material where 15 vol% of Titanium taken as Alumina reinforced as Alumina fibre into Titanium Matrix to form this Titanium Matrix Composite (TMC) material. Wire Cut Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM) has been used in the present research work as a non-conventional machining process to machine this type of TMC material. Response Surface Methodology of BBD technique has been used to analyse the different parametric effects of WEDM over the output responses. The theoretical results and the experimental data are compared in the present research work and are found to be satisfactory. Confirmatory test suggests that the percentage errors are very less which justify the present research work. Optimal WEDM input parameters are also calculated in the present research work which provides the best output responses for Ti-Al2O3 composite material while machining with WEDM process in this present work.