Multi-Response Optimization of Electrochemical Machining of Al-Si/B4C Composites Using RSM

The present work reports the electrochemical machining (ECM) of the aluminium-silicon alloy/boron carbide (Al-Si /B4C) composites, fabricated by stir casting process with different weight % of B4C particles. The influence of four machining parameters including applied voltage, electrode feed rate, electrolyte concentration and percentage of reinforcement on the responses surface roughness (SR) and radial over cut (ROC) were investigated. The process parameters are optimized based on the response surface methodology (RSM) and the optimum values for minimizing surface roughness and radial over cut are voltage 15.25 V, feed rate 1.0 mm/min, electrolyte concentration 13.56g/lit and percentage of reinforcement 7.36 wt%. The quality of the machined surfaces is studied by using scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images. The surface plots are generated to study the effect of process parameters and their interaction on the surface roughness and radial over cut, for the machined Al-Si/B4C composites. Multi-Response Optimization of Electrochemical Machining of Al-Si/B4C Composites Using RSM