Influence of porosity and alloy addition on the wear behaviour of sinter-forged C45 steel using Taguchi method

Elemental powders of iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), and carbon (C) were mixed in a pot mill to obtain the compositions C45, C45–1% Mo, C45–2% Mo steels. They then compacted sintered. The sintered preforms had density 75% theoretical (TD). Then, subjected densification two densities 80% 85% TD through forging. densified alloy steel subsequently machined required wear test specimens. experiments conducted on pin-on-disc tribometer, conforming ASTM G99 standards, rotating EN32 disc. Using Minitab 16 software, dry sliding planned using L27 orthogonal array. percentage specimens (%Theoretical + %Porosity = 1), addition, load, velocity taken as input parameters, mass loss was output parameter. It observed that increasing adversely affects resistance steel, thus is increased. addition C45 improves irrespective density, owing hard-phase carbides present microstructure. Empirical correlations for with respect parameters developed regression analysis. hardness directly related alloy. contributed an increase steel. from optical images pattern uniform wear, evenly spread track appeared images. On other hand, it C45–Mo-alloyed exhibited non-uniform because hard-phases