A Hybrid Design of Experiment Approach in Analyzing the Electrical Discharge Machining Influence on Stir Cast Al7075/B4C Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

The present work centers on aluminum-based metal matrix composites (AMCs), synthesized via stir casting and then processed by electrical discharge machining (EDM) in the case of Al7075 as a matrix and 6 wt.% boron carbide (B4C) as reinforcement. A design of experiment (DoE) approach, powered by hybrid optimization techniques (such as the entropy weight method (EWM), grey relational analysis (GRA) incorporated Taguchi method) was used to investigate the relationship between current (I), pulse ON time (Ton), pulse OFF time (Toff), and electrode gap (Gap) as input parameters and the material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), and surface roughness (SR) as response parameters. The results showed that an I = 140 A, Ton = 120 ms, Toff = 50 ms, and Gap = 0.4 mm combination gives the best response parameters of MRR = 0.5628 mm3/min, TWR = 0.0048 mm3/min, and SR = 4.4034 μs.