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ABSTRACT
Optimization techniques are generally used to study and evaluate the performance of the processes or operations under which the work or the product is made. An attempt is initiated in this paper, to optimize the densification and deformation characteristics of the sintered plain carbon steel (Fe–0.5%C) processed through the powder metallurgy using Taguchi-grey relational analysis. Atomized iron powders (Fe) of size 100 µm and graphite (C) were accurately weighed on the basis of weight and homogeneously blended in an indigenously fabricated pot mill. Compacts of various aspect ratios (ARs), viz., 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 1.1, and 1.3, were made using a suitable cylindrical die and punch set up on a 1000 kN computer interfaced universal testing machine. The green compacts were then sintered in a nitrogen purged muffle furnace. The sintered preforms of various ARs of the plain carbon steel were subjected to cold upset forging to study their deformation and densification properties. Taguchi-grey optimization technique was then applied to optimize the parameters such as AR and load for maximum deformation and density. The preforms of higher AR are found to be the better for higher axial, lateral deformations, and relative density at lesser load or stress value.