Describing the Influence of Laser Cutting Parameters on a SiC Reinforced Al Alloy Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)
C.M. Shajahan, H. Lalhmingsanga and B. Kuriachen
Advanced materials, especially composite materials, provided the manufacturer with a broad range of options in the selection and specification of materials for numerous applications. Latest unconventional machining methods, as well as consumer demands for systems and machinery that are greatly efficient in the operation of minimum weight, harder and stronger, cost effective processes, etc., predict the search for new and advanced materials. In this work AA8011 Al alloy was reinforced with SiC nanoparticles with 5 wt.% by using the stir casting technique on an induction furnace. Box-Behnken Design (BBD)-based experiments on the AA8011-SiC metal matrix composite (MMC) were conducted for CO2 laser cutting. Laser power, cutting speed and assist gas pressure were set as the process parameters and surface roughness and kerf width were selected as response characteristics for the experimentation. In order understand the level of significance of each process parameters, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and response surface methodology (RSM) were adopted. It is clear from the results that laser power is highly significant in both surface roughness and kerf width rather than cutting speed and gas pressure.
Keywords: CO2 laser, AA8011 Al, SiC, metal matrix composite (MMC), laser cutting, surface roughness, kerf width, design of experiments (DOE), Box-Behnken Design (BBD, response surface methodology (RSM)