Jet Erosion Test Research Articles

Experimental study on tribological behavior of aluminum–copper functionally graded material

A five-layered aluminum–copper metal functionally graded material was developed through powder metallurgy process. The sample comprises different weight percentages of copper and aluminum that vary from 0 wt% to 100 wt % along the thickness direction. Erosion wear was performed on air jet erosion testing apparatus at a constant impact angle of 90o and impact velocity of 151 m/s. It was observed that erosion wear decreases when there is an increase in copper content. Layer 1 comprising 100 wt% of copper has shown 76.92% lower wear compared to layer 5 (100 wt% of aluminum). Besides, erosion resistance was enhanced at graded layers due to the formation of Al2Cu phase during sintering. Abrasive wear of metal functionally graded material was evaluated on the pin-on-disc test apparatus. Experiments were conducted at different loading conditions on various abrasive surfaces (P120, P800, and P2000). Irrespective of abrasive surface, the specific wear rate of aluminum–copper metal functionally graded material sample increased with an increase in load from 5N to 15N. At 5N, abrasive wear of metal functionally graded material on P2000 grit surface was 87.7% and 27.19% lower compared to P120 and P800, respectively. Eroded and worn-out surfaces were examined microscopically to understand the wear mechanisms and are discussed in detail.

Streambank Erosion Phenomena and Understanding: Current Research and Future Directions

Highlights High rates of streambank erosion are detrimental to the stability and function of streams. This collection brings together six studies that represent key advances in streambank erosion research. Current research directions on streambank erosion, erodibility characterization, and sediment loading are presented. Future research directions and challenges related to high-frequency data collection and modeling are discussed. Abstract. Streams are in dynamic equilibrium with their environments, and as that environment is altered by human development and changing climate, streambank erosion is a common, but little understood, result. This article highlights the contributions of the special collection “Streambank Erosion, Sediment Dynamics, and Restoration (SER),” which assembled six studies that represent key advances in streambank erosion research, highlight current research in the field, and identify directions for future research. The studies in this special collection were grouped into three central themes: (1) streambank erosion monitoring, (2) streambank erodibility characterization, and (3) streambank erosion loading. In this article, key findings within each of these central themes are summarized, emphasizing the significant contributions of each study. Likewise, perspectives on future research directions are discussed, outlining important challenges that remain to be addressed. Overall, the studies in this special collection are unified in their overarching goal of improving quantitative and predictive understanding of streambank erosion phenomena. Keywords: Keywords., Erodibility Parameters, Jet Erosion Test, Monitoring, Sediment, Soil Erosion, Stabilization Practices, Streambank, Stream Restoration.

On the sliding wear and solid particle erosion behaviour of HVOF-sprayed CoNiCrAlY coatings and NiCrCoTi substrates in dependence of the oxidation dwell time at 900 °C

In high temperature sections up to 900 °C overlay MCrAlY coatings are frequently used to increase the life time of Ni based components in technical applications. Beside oxidation protection, coatings resistance to sliding wear and solid particle erosion is required during different service operation regimes. In the present work the focus is set on the wear behaviour of HVOF-sprayed CoNiCrAlY coatings deposited on a NiCrCoTi substrate (Nimonic 90) and of uncoated substrate, before and after oxidation for different dwell times up to 1200 h at 900 °C. The samples were investigated in respect to their behaviour under dry sliding wear conditions and solid particle erosion at ambient temperatures. Sliding wear was tested by means of pin-on-disc method. Solid particle erosion was conducted using an in-house developed air jet erosion testing rig. Moreover, microhardness indentations HV 0.1 were performed in order to determine changes of materials hardness depending on the heat exposure. Microstructural and phase analysis was performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to measure thickness, hardness indentations and wear degree of the surfaces. Samples mass losses were considered as well. Coatings performance is pointed out in comparison with that of the uncoated NiCrCoTi substrate, set to same conditions. It could be shown, that the sliding wear and particle erosion behaviour of the investigated samples strongly depends on materials microstructure and chemical composition. The accelerated oxidation reaction kinetics of NiCrCoTi substrate lead to the formation of a thicker oxide scale, which exhibited protective effects of a glaze-layer during sliding wear. However, the oxide scales do not benefit the protection of solid particle erosion.

Effect of alumina particulate and E-glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite on erosion wear behavior using Taguchi orthogonal array

This article includes the erosion wear behavior of alumina (Al2O3) and E-glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The erosion wear was conducted on air jet erosion tester. Alumina was reinforced with a variation of 0–20 wt%. Five formulations were made: L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. The reinforcement content, impact velocity, discharge, and impingement angle as machine control factors were employed for the erosion wear. Taguchi (L25) orthogonal array was used to determine erosion wear. From the Taguchi analysis, the minimum erosion rate was recorded at 10 wt% of reinforcement content, 30 m/s of impact velocity, 1 gm/min of discharge, and 45°of impingement angle. The impact velocity was found the most influential parameter affecting the erosion rate from the ANOVA analysis, with a percentage contribution of 41 %. From the investigation of the scanning electron microscope, the result shows that Al2O3 particles have more interaction with polymer matrix and good stress transfer properties.

Elevated temperature erosion performance of plasma sprayed NiCrAlY/TiO2 coating on MDN 420 steel substrate

The current study deals with the erosion behaviour of a plasma-sprayed 70% NiCrAlY + 30% TiO2 coating on MDN 420 steel substrate at extreme temperatures. The coating was characterized by using an optical microscope, Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The coating’s porosity, microhardness, surface roughness, and adhesion strength were all examined. The solid particle erosion experiments were carried out at temperatures of 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C, with impact angles of 30° and 90°. The tests were conducted by using the alumina as an erodent in the hot air jet erosion testing machine. The erosion volume loss of coated and uncoated samples was measured using an optical profilometer. It is observed that erosion resistance of the coating was found to be more when compared to the substrate for the different test temperatures chosen. As the temperature increases, the erosion resistance of the coating also found increased from 300 °C to 700 °C at both impact angles of 30° and 90°. The morphology of the eroded coating surface reveals that the generalized behaviour of the coating is ductile in nature.

Experimental investigation on effect of water jet erosion parameters on HVOF sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr coatings on stainless steel: a mathematical approach

Chromium carbides are major components in turbine blades due to their high wear resistance, low friction coefficient, and corrosion resistance at high temperature, typically manufactured by thermal spraying for coating applications. For their excellent oxidation and corrosion tolerance, high-speed thermal spray cermet coatings are commonly used to reduce wear at high temperatures and in corrosive conditions. Coatings based on Cr3C2-NiCr have been deposited by means of the HVOF thermal spraying technique on an AISI 304 steel substrate. Furthermore, the erosion behavior of the substrate and coated samples was tested using a water jet erosion test. The effect of water jet parameters, including angle of impingement, water jet velocity, standoff distance, and erodent discharge, on the erosion rate was systematically investigated. Experiments were conducted on the basis of the core composite architecture and the surface response approach for the creation of multiple regression models. Through the analysis of variance, the precision of the regression models was sufficient to establish associations between input parameters and responses. Results revealed that the most prevailing factor impacting the erosion rate of the coatings, followed by water jet velocity, standoff distance, and eroding discharge, was the angle of impingement.

Studies on Mechanical Attrition and Surface Analysis on Heat-Treated Nickel Alloy Developed through Additive Manufacturing

In this paper, the nickel-based superalloy SU718 is developed through the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), an additive manufacturing process. Further, the material has been focused to study the effect of heat treatment and abrasive particle erosion. Two different heat treatment (HT) cycles are planed with ageing and annealing to enrich the metallurgical quality of the DMLS processed SU718 alloy. The heat treatment is performed with two different combinations of temperatures for annealing/solutionizing followed by ageing to improve the metallurgical properties. The influence of heat treatment on additively manufactured IN718 is imparting variations in the hardness, microstructure, and erosion resistance. Vickers hardness for as built, HT 1, and HT 2 of DMLS alloy is 264.15, 385.55, and 352.43 Hv; which has been increased for 45% for HT 1 and 33% for HT 2 from the as built DMLS alloy. After solutionizing, the grains are refined within the track boundary and the majority of the grains are homogenized. The air jet erosion test arrangement is used to conduct the study at a velocity of 250 m/s and impact angle of 90° at room temperature. The hardness of the treated samples has taken vital role to resist the erosion. The rate of erosion is higher for bare DMLS alloy whereas HT 1 has low erosion rate when compared with HT 2 and bare DMLS alloy. The erosion morphology of the samples was carried out by SEM images, and erosion mechanism is discussed. The ploughing and microcutting were found in all the impact angles, whereas erodent impingement is found in the bare DMLS alloy in additional. The good erosion resistance is observed for HT 1 DMLS alloy in all the impact angles.

Investigating the Water Jet Erosion Performance of HVOF-Sprayed WC-10Co Coatings on 35CrMo Steel Utilizing Design of Experiments

To enhance the surface of a material with the desired qualities for diverse applications in service, a variety of thermal and thermo-chemical surface treatment processes are used. Due to the high-velocity impact inherent in the process, high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray is now frequently employed in industrial applications for its ability to generate a high-quality coating with appropriate hardness and low oxide content. In this investigation, a high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying process was utilized to coat WC-10Co powders on a 35CrMo steel substrate. A water jet erosion test was also used to examine the substrate and coated samples’ erosion behavior. The erosion rate was systematically investigated using water jet variables such as the angle of impingement, water jet velocity, standoff distance, and erodent discharge. For the development of multiple regression models, experiments were performed utilizing the central composite rotatable design and the response surface methodology. The angle of impingement had the most impact on the rate of coating erosion, leading to the water jet velocity, standoff distance, and erodent discharge.

Experimental and numerical approach to predict slurry erosion in jet erosion test rig

Surface degradation due to slurry erosion is the common phenomenon encountered in fluid handling and material processing industries. Slurry erosion research initiated at the latter half of the twentieth century. Huge economic losses incurred through slurry erosion, to such an extent that components can't be repaired. Erosion is a complex process, because it operates with many factors and these factors contribute individually and in combined form, they affect severely. To evaluate materials' behavior under erosion environment, slurry erosion test rigs are developed. Numerous jet erosion test rigs are developed, yet standardization of the test method is unattainable due to its intricacy. Jet type slurry erosion test rigs are the preferable choice, as they offer flexibility with the test parameters and it could provide impact characteristics. Erodents' introduction is a tedious task, as particles have to be introduced into the flowing fluid. In the present article, a novel device named modified Venturi device is developed. Performance of the test rig is evaluated by varying the operating test parameters and by evaluating Cast Iron sample as the candidate material. From the results, it is noticed that developed test rig can be successfully employed to evaluate the erosion behavior. Erosion depends on the kinetic energy and the drag force on the particle. Numerical approach through CFD has been adopted and found that the experimental results are in good correlation with Finnie erosion model. SEM Micrographs reveal the material removal mechanism in the test rig.

Tribological behavior of HVAF-sprayed WC-based coatings with alternative binders

The tribological performance of High Velocity Air-Fuel (HVAF) sprayed WC-based cermet coatings with binders containing no or very limited amount of cobalt was evaluated under dry sliding, erosion, and abrasion wear conditions. The wear and corrosion behaviors of WC-NiMoCrFeCo, WC-FeNiCrMoCu and WC-FeCrAl HVAF sprayed coatings were investigated and compared to standard WC-CoCr coatings as benchmark. Microstructure characterization along with XRD analysis was conducted on all powders as well as the corresponding coatings. Comprehensive post wear analysis was conducted on all coatings subjected to ball-on-disk, gas jet erosion and dry sand-rubber wheel abrasion tests. Moreover, all coatings were exposed to 3.5% (wt./vol.) NaCl aqueous solution to evaluate their corrosion performance through electrochemical testing. XRD results showed negligible phase transformation between the powders and the deposited coatings. The WC-NiMoCrFeCo coating exhibited the best sliding wear and electrochemical corrosion performance, with an average specific wear rate value of 3.1 × 10−8 (mm3·N−1·m−1) and a corrosion current density of 1.9 μA/cm2. This coating also showed comparable abrasive wear resistance to the WC-CoCr coating. Under erosive wear conditions, too, the WC-FeNiCrMoCu and WC-FeCrAl coatings showed a comparable performance to the benchmark. Dominant wear mechanisms for the reference WC-CoCr coating, under sliding wear conditions, were abrasion (deep grooving) and surface fatigue (crack propagation and pitting). On the contrary, no pitting was observed in WC-NiMoCrFeCo and WC-FeCrAl coatings during the sliding wear test. No considerable difference was identified in the wear mechanisms of the different coatings under abrasion and erosion wear conditions. The results highlight the promise of some of the environment friendly binders studied to replace Co.

Microstructural, Mechanical and Wear Behavior of HVOF and Cold-Sprayed High-Entropy Alloys (HEAs) Coatings

HEAs powders, unlike standard alloys which contain one or two base elements, are new alloys that contain multiple elements in the same quantity. These materials have outstanding physical and mechanical properties and for this reason, are of great interest in the material science community for their application in advanced industrial sectors. In this investigation, cold spray (CS) and high-velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) processes were used to deposit Cantor alloy (FeCoCrNiMn) coatings. Starting feedstock powders were thoroughly characterized in terms of size, shape, phase and elastic modulus. For CS process, the coating deposition efficiency and porosity could be optimized by varying gas pressure, gas temperature and stand-off distance. In the case of HVOF process, stand-off distance influenced the thickness of the coatings. Besides, on the optimized CS and HVOF coatings, corrosion tests in 3.5% NaCl solution, as well as rubber wheel, ball on disk and jet erosion tests were carried out to evaluate their wear behavior. Also, to benchmark the corrosion and wear behavior of optimized coatings, the results were compared to 316L and C-Steel bulks. The tribological study shows that Cantor alloy coatings deposited via CS and HVOF are promising to protect parts and components in a harsh environment.

Guidance on Applied Pressure Heads for Quantifying Cohesive Soil Erodibility with a Jet Erosion Test (JET)

Highlights Jet erosion test (JET) is a commonly used instrument for quantifying soil erodibility. Uncertainty remains on an appropriate applied pressure head to ensure high-quality JET data. Numerical analysis was used to derive minimum and maximum heads for four soil classifications. Ideal applied pressure heads depend on soil erodibility parameters and user-selected JET characteristics. Abstract. The Jet Erosion Test (JET) is one of the few instruments available for measuring cohesive soil erodibility in situ, but uncertainty remains regarding an appropriate initial applied pressure head for the test. Users typically iterate on an initial applied pressure head setting when testing soil. This iteration is necessary to ensure a reasonable erosion rate and the total amount of scour while imposing applied shear stresses that match the expected application range when using JET-derived erodibility parameters. This research used a numerical analysis of simulated JETs to determine both minimum and maximum applied pressure heads, ensuring a logistically appropriate estimation of soil erodibility parameters. First, the minimum head was set to generate at least 25 mm of scour, established based on data from previous in situ JETs. Second, the maximum applied pressure head was set to ensure that no excessively large initial applied shear stress impacted the estimation of erodibility parameters from a linear regression on erosion rates. Analyses were conducted for four selected soil erodibility classes: highly erodible, more erodible, erodible, and moderately resistant soils. Curves showing the ideal applied pressure ranges were generated for initial time intervals of scour depth measurements of 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 360 s and dimensionless initial nozzle heights of 1.00, 1.25, and 1.50. The appropriate range in the applied pressure head depended not only on the soil erodibility classes but also on the initial time interval for scour depth measurements, total test duration, and dimensionless initial nozzle height above the soil surface. Users should ensure that a minimum applied pressure head is exceeded for resistant soils. Maximum applied pressure heads should be considered for erodible, more erodible, and highly erodible soils, dependent on the initial time interval for scour depth measurements and dimensionless initial nozzle heights. Wider ranges of acceptable applied pressure heads were observed with smaller initial time intervals. The procedure presented in this research can be readily adapted by JET users to reflect specific testing conditions (e.g., different data collection intervals and test durations) for ensuring the a priori use of effective pressure head settings. Keywords: Cohesive soils, Erodibility, Jet erosion test, Pressure head, Soil erodibility.

Perspective: Lessons Learned, Challenges, and Opportunities in Quantifying Cohesive Soil Erodibility with the Jet Erosion Test (JET)

HighlightsThe JET is a key instrument for in situ and laboratory measurement of soil erodibility.Operation and reporting guidelines are needed to ensure consistency across JETs and applications.JET design improvements and hydrodynamic studies are needed to inform proper analyses and limit operator effects.Erodibility databases should be developed that report JET, soil, and fluid properties. Keywords: Cohesive soils, Critical shear stress, Erodibility, Erosion, Jet Erosion Test, Scour.

Erosion wear performance of HVOF and cold spray coatings deposited on T-91 boiler steel

Erosion wear in boiler tubes in coal based boilers is one of the serious problem and often results in downtime. After studying the literature, it was observed that thermal spray coatings are one of the effective solutions in reducing the erosion wear of boiler tubes. In this research work, the comparative erosion wear study of uncoated, HVOF coated and Cold spray coated samples of T-91 steel in simulated coal fired boiler conditions were performed. The Ni powder coatings were deposited on the substrate and impacted at 30°, 60° and 90° impingement angles with alumina erodent employing an air jet erosion tester. The erosive wear with respect to weight loss was maximum at 30° impingement angle, that was reduced at an impingement angle 60° and minimum at an impingement angle of 90°. This is erosive wear behavior of ductile materials. The erodent discharge rate was fixed at 2 g/min and air temperature at 800 °C. The cold spray coatings can reduce the weight loss from 40 to 60%.

Erosion characteristics of epoxy-based Jute, Kenaf and Banana fibre reinforced hybrid composites

In this research work erosion characteristics of bio-based fibres such as jute, kenaf, banana fibre reinforced epoxy hybrid composites were experimentally investigated. Hybrid composites with different stacking sequences of fibres were fabricated by compression moulding method. Erosion wear behavior of hybrid composites were studied using air jet erosion tester as per the ASTM G76 standards. The effect of impingement angle, and exposure duration on the erosion rate of the hybrid composites were analyzed. The results indicated that the erosion rate of hybrid composites increased with the increase in exposure times. Further, maximum erosion rate was observed at 60° of impingement angle for majority of the composite specimens. This proves hybrid composites are semi ductile materials in nature.

Experimental Study on the Erosion of Pipelines under Different Load Conditions

The influence of the material stress state induced by internal and external forces on the erosion rate of pipelines has rarely been investigated in the literature. In order to fill this gap, using a tensile tester machine, a two–phase gas–solid particles jet erosion test was carried out considering a 316L stainless steel under different tensile stresses and different erosion angles. The results show that: 1) In the elastic range, with the increase of stress, the erosion rate manifests a rising trend; 2) In the metal plastic range, the increase of stress leads to a decrease of the erosion rate; 3) The erosion rate at a small erosion angle is more sensitive to the increment of stress. The present research demonstrates that the combined effect of erosion and material internal stress can contribute to determine the effective resistance of the vulnerable parts of piping systems (such as elbows or similar components).

Quantifying Mechanistic Detachment Parameters Due to Humic Acids in Biological Soil Crusts

Humic acid (HA) is a material that could be used to decrease erosion and improve soil structure. It is also known that biological soil crusts (biocrusts) have a major role in soil stabilization, but the mechanism is not well understood in the presence of HA, especially with mechanistic soil detachment rate parameters (b0 and b1) of the Wilson model, where b0 is the dimensional soil detachment parameter and b1 is the dimensional soil threshold parameter. Therefore, this study intends to (1) investigate the effect of different humic acid (HA) concentrations (0%, 4%, and 8%) on mechanistic soil detachment rate parameters (b0 and b1,) in the Tigris Riversides of the Gheraiat region, Baghdad City, Iraq, of the crusted versus uncrusted soils using a small scale model of the jet erosion tests (mini-JET) at different curing periods (1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks), and (2) examine the impact of HA on b0 and b1 parameters versus some soil characteristics, such as electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, and soil organic matter for uncrusted and crusted soils. Thirty-six undisturbed soil specimens (18 for crusted soils and 18 for uncrusted soils) were acquired from the Tigris Riverbank. On these specimens, the mini-JET was used to determine the mechanistic cohesive soil erodibility parameters b0 and b1. The results showed that the value of b0 decreased up to 60% with an increase in curing times for crusted soils until they reached their optimum values at 2 weeks. There was no consistent pattern for b1 at different curing times. As the concentration of HA increased, the value of b0 decreased up to 86% and 99% for crusted and uncrusted soils, respectively. HA significantly improved electrical conductivity, exchange capacity, and organic matter in the soil and reduced soil erodibility. This study provides the benefits of adding HA to the soils as a soil stabilizer using a low-cost technique, which is the JET instrument.

INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE, IMPINGEMENT ANGLE, VELOCITY AND STANDOFF DISTANCE ON THE EROSION CHARACTERISTICS OF INCONEL 718 AND Ti-6Al-4V

Erosion is the primary concern in gas turbines, power plants, fertilizer plants, jet aircraft and civil aircraft. The military, gas turbine blades are affected by dust clouds ingestion and impingement of slurry particles. In this study, we investigated the erosion rate of Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V turbine blades in the air jet-erosion test rig by ([Formula: see text]m) silica erodent. The primary process parameters, such as velocity (100 and 150[Formula: see text]m/s), impingement angle (30–90∘), feed rate (5–10[Formula: see text]g/min), temperature (30–650∘C) and standoff distance (10–50[Formula: see text]mm) were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The design of experiments (DOE) and experimental screening tests were performed to identify the significant process parameters on the erosion of turbine blade materials. To optimize the process parameters, the experiment was conducted to obtain a lowest erosion rate. The ploughing and cutting mechanism of both Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V materials were identified through a scanning electron microscope. As a result, the erosion rate increases with an increase in velocity and temperature; however, the erosion rate decreases with an increase in the impingement angle. The experimental analysis showed that the erosion rate ranged between 0.051–1.914[Formula: see text]mg/g for Inconel 718 and 0.02–1.0095[Formula: see text]mg/g for Ti-6Al-4V.

Erosion wear behavior of NiCr+Cr3C2–NiCr coating under multi–impact angle and novel coating structure design

Despite advances in NiCr + Cr 3 C 2 –NiCr coating improving the erosion wear resistance at low impact angles, the deterioration at medium and high impact angles has not been solved for the impeller subjecting to multi–impact angle. Herein the conflict is circumvented by combining the erosion performance of the NiCr and Cr 3 C 2 –NiCr under different impact angles and proposing a novel coating structure. First, the NiCr + Cr 3 C 2 –NiCr coating specimens with different NiCr content were prepared using the plasma spraying system. Second, the erosion rate of NiCr + Cr 3 C 2 –NiCr coatings in relation to the impact angle and the concentration of NiCr was measured by an air jet erosion test system, the microhardness was measured on the polished cross-section, and the erosion morphology was observed by SEM and analysed. Erosion behavior analysis showed that the NiCr + Cr 3 C 2 –NiCr coatings exhibited the coupling erosion wear mechanism of high toughness and high hardness, where the dominant characteristic was depending on the concentration of NiCr. Then, a tangential functional gradient coating structure was proposed by combining the excellent erosion wear resistance of ductile and brittle materials at varying impact angles, and a semi-theoretical erosion rate model considering the influence of the NiCr concentration was established based on the deformation wear theory. The erosion rate model was validated by experiments which showed the error was within 9.15%. Consequently, the erosion rate can be regulated on demand along the entire eroded surface, which significantly improves the erosion resistance of cermet at medium and high impact angles, thus prolonging the residual life of remanufactured impeller.

Influence of SiC on solid particle erosion and mechanical behaviour of Al–25Zn alloy based novel metal matrix composites fabricated through stir casting technique

ABSTRACT This investigation studied the influence of SiC reinforcement (0, 10, 15 and 20 wt.%) on solid particle erosion and mechanical behaviour of novel Al–25Zn alloy metal matrix composites fabricated by the stir casting technique. The erosion wear experiments were conducted following the ASTM G-76 standard for various impact velocity, impingement angle, and erodent temperature as per Taguchi L16 orthogonal array using air jet erosion test rig with erodent silica sand particles of irregular shapes with size approximately 150 µm. The attempt has been made to establish linear and nonlinear correlations between input parameters and erosion rates. The artificial neural network and the Taguchi approach were used to identify the optimal parameter combination for the minimum erosion rate. The results show a significant alteration in properties with reinforcement of SiC content. The analysis of variance, signal to noise ratio, and morphology of eroded surfaces indicates that impact velocity is the most dominating parameter for the erosion rate among studied parameters. The erosion rate increased with the rise in impact velocity, whereas the highest erosion rate is observed with 30° impingement angle. For identical test conditions, optimum mechanical and erosion characteristics are noticed for the composite with 15% SiC.