Process parameter optimization of abrasive water jet machining on monel k400 alloy

Abstract

Nowadays it’s difficult to use a metal with high corrosion resistant properties in required applications. Monel 400 is one nickel based alloy having required property to be applicable in such scenarios. It is used in highly corrosive environments such as marine, chemical and aerospace industries as it has the property of maintaining its toughness over a range of temperature, however machining of this Monel alloy is relatively tough due to its characteristic work hardening properties. To tackle the mentioned issues, Abrasive water jet machining is used which is a widely known nontraditional machining technique. The process parameters and the response variables were chosen depending on the machine specifications, and parameter combinations were made using Minitab statistical software. The parameters and their interactions like the cut quality on the alloy, nozzle diameters effects, and water pressure were also studied. Response surface model and various statistical algorithms such as S-N ratio, ANOVA and regression equations were utilized for formation of the design of experiment, optimization of process parameters for the machining process were done using Grey relations. Reduction of surface roughness, maximization of Material removal rate while simultaneously reducing the cycle time for the operation was the primary objective. The results thus obtained indicates that the quality of cut was the most influential factor in the machining process followed by water-jet pressure value.