Application of Grey approach to enhance the surface properties during AWJ machining of marine grade Inconel

ABSTRACT

Present work attempts to optimise the significant process parameters to enhance the surface properties and productivity during machining of marine grade Inconel. Taguchi-based Grey analysis was applied to optimise the parameters of abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) for minimum surface roughness and higher material removal rate (MRR). Three most influential input parameters were taken, i.e. standoff distance (SOD), abrasive flow rate (AFR) and jet traverse speed (JTS). The three levels of input parameters of SOD, AFR and JTS were 1, 2, 3 mm, 300, 350, 400 g/min and 20, 28, 36 mm/min, respectively. MRR was maximum in case of machining performed at SOD of 3 mm, AFR of 350 g/min and JTS of 36 mm/min. Machining at an input value of SOD (1 mm), AFR (400 g/min) and JTS (20 mm/min) exhibited minimum surface roughness. Grey relation grades (GRG) were obtained and it was found that SOD was the most significant parameter. To understand the surface morphology of the machined surface, scanning electron microscope (SEM) of machined surface was done.

KEYWORDS:

• Inconel 625
• AWJM
• MRR
• surface roughness
• grey relational analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge 4i Lab, IIT Kanpur for providing the AWJM facility.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.