UDK 669.715:620.178 ISSN 1580-2949 Original scientific article/Izvirni znanstveni članek MTAEC9, 44(3)129(2010) USE OF GREY BASED TAGUCHI METHOD IN BALL BURNISHING PROCESS FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND MICROHARDNESS OF AA 7075 ALUMINUM ALLOY UPORABA GREY-TAGUCHIJEVE METODE PRI PROCESU GLAJENJA ZA OPTIMIZACIJO POVRŠINSKE HRAPAVOSTI IN MIKROTRDOTE ALUMINIJEVE ZLITINE AA 7075 Ugur Esme Mersin University Tarsus Technical Education Faculty, Department of Mechanical Education, 33140, Tarsus-Mersin/Turkey uguresme@gmail.com Prejem rokopisa - received: 2009-11-09; sprejem za objavo - accepted for publication: 2010-03-20 This study investigated the multi-response optimization of burnishing process for an optimal parametric combination to yield favorable surface roughness and microhardness using the Grey relational analysis and Taguchi method. Sixteen experimental runs based on an orthogonal array of Taguchi method were performed to derive objective functions to be optimized within experimental domain. The objective functions have been selected in relation of burnishing parameters; burnishing force, number of passes, feed rate and burnishing speed. The Taguchi approach followed by Grey relational analysis was applyed to solve the multi-response optimization problem. The significance of the factors on overall quality characteristics of the burnishing process has also been evaluated quantitatively with the variance method (ANOVA). Optimal results were verified through confirmation experiments. This shows application feasibility of the Grey relation analysis in combination with Taguchi technique for continuous improvement in product quality in manufacturing industry. Keywords: ball burnishing process, Grey relation analysis, Taguchi method V tej študiji je raziskana večodgovorna optimizacija procesa glajenja z dosego optimalnih kombinacij parametrov za ugodno površinsko hrapavost in mikrotrdoto z uporabo Greyjeve analize odvisnosti in Taguchijeve metode. Šestnajst eksperimentov v ortogonalni porazdelitvi po metodi Taguchi je bilo uporabljenih za razvoj objektivnih funkcij za optimizacijo v eksperimentalnem polju. Objektivne funkcije so bile izbrane v odvisnosti od parametrov glajenja; sila glajenja, število prehodov, hitrost podajanja in hitrost glajenja. Taguchijev približek in Greyjeva analiza odvisnosti sta bila uporabljena za rešitev večodgovornega problema. Kvantitativno je bil ocenjen tudi pomen dejavnikov kakovosti procesa glajenja z metodo variance (ANOVA). Optimalni rezultati so bili potrjeni s preizkusi. Delo dokazuje uporabnost Greyjeve analize odvisnosti in Taguchijeve tehnike za stalno izboljšanje kakovosti proizvodov v predelovalni industriji. Ključne besede: krogelno glajenje, Greyjeva analiza odvisnosti, Taguchijeva metoda 1 INTRODUCTION surface layers4. Accordingly, burnishing distinguishes itself from chip-forming finishing processes such as The function performance of a machined component grinding, honing, lapping and super-finishing which such as fatigue strength, load bearing capacity, friction, induce residual tensile stresses at the machined surface etc. depends to a large extent on the surface as layers5,6. Also, burnishing is economically desirable, topography, hardness, nature of stress and strain induced because it is a simple and cheap process, requiring less on the surface region. Nowadays, about 50% of the time and skill to obtain a high-quality surface finish4,5. energy supplied is lost in the friction of elements in Beside producing a good surface finish, the burnish- relative motion1,2. Roughness values less than 0.1 mm ing process has additional advantages over other machi-are required for good aesthetic appearance, easy mould ning processes, such as securing increased hardness, release, good corrosion resistance, and high fatigue corrosion resistance and fatigue life as a result of strength. During recent years, however, considerable producing compressive residual stress. Residual stresses attention has been paid to the post-machining metal are probably the most important aspect in assessing finishing operations such as burnishing which improves integrity because of their direct influence on perfor- the surface characteristics by plastic deformation of the mance in service. Thus, control of the burnishing process surface layers2,3. (burnishing conditions) in such a way as to produce Burnishing is considered as a cold-working finishing compressive residual stresses in the surface region could process, differing from other cold-working, surface lead to considerable improvement in component life. A treatment processes such as shot peening and sand comprehensive classification of burnishing tools and blasting, etc. in that it produces a good surface finish and their application has been given by Shneider7. A lite- also induces residual compressive stresses at the metallic rature survey shows that work on the burnishing process has been conducted by many researchers and the process improves also the properties of the parts, e.g. higher wear resistance2,8,9 increased hardness10-12, surface quality2,3,14 and increased maximum residual stress in compression11. The parameters affecting the surface finish are: burnishing force, feed rate, ball material, number of passes, workpiece material, and lubrication2,3. It is necessary to find an optimal process condition capable of producing desired surface quality and hardness. However, this optimization should be performed in such a way that all the objectives should fulfill simultaneously. Such an optimization technique is called multi-response optimization15. The majority of the research existing in literature on the effect of burnishing parameters on the burnished surface is of experimental nature and very few analytical models are available in the literature. The Taguchi method is very popular for solving optimization problems in the field of production engineering.16,17 The method utilizes a well-balanced experimental design (allows a limited number of experimental runs) called orthogonal array design, and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio), which serve as objective function to be optimized (maximized) within the experimental domain. However, traditional Taguchi method cannot solve multi-objective optimization problem. To overcome this, the Taguchi method coupled with Grey relational analysis has a wide area of application in manufacturing processes. This approach can solve multi-response optimization problem simultaneously15,18. Planning the experiments through the Taguchi orthogonal array has been used quite successfully in process optimization19-24. Therefore, in this study the Taguchi L16(44) orthogonal array was applied to plan the experiments on burnishing process. Four controlling factors including burnishing force (F), number of passes (N), feed rate (f) and burnishing speed (V) on the surface roughness (Ra) and micro-hardness (HV) with four levels for each factor were selected. The Grey relational analysis was then applied to examine how the burnishing parameters influenced the surface roughness and microhardness and an optimal parameter combination was then obtained. Through analyzing the Grey relational grade matrix, the most influential factors for individual quality targets of burnishing process can be identified. Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also utilized to examine the most significant factors for the surface roughness and microhardness in burnishing process. 2 GREY RELATIONAL ANALYSIS In Grey relational analysis, experimental data i.e., measured features of quality characteristics are first normalized ranging from zero to one. This process is known as Grey relational generation. Next, based on normalized experimental data, Grey relational coefficient is calculated to represent the correlation between the desired and actual experimental data15. Then overall Grey relational grade is determined by averaging the Grey relational coefficient corresponding to selected responses. The overall performance characteristic of the multiple response process depends on the calculated Grey relational grade. This approach converts a multiple response process optimization problem into a single response optimization situation with the objective function which is the overall Grey relational grade. The optimal parametric combination is then evaluated which would result in the highest Grey relational grade. The optimal factor setting for maximizing overall Grey relational grade can be obtained by Taguchi method15. In Grey relational generation, the normalized Ra values corresponding to the smaller-the-better (SB) criterion which can be expressed as: (k) = max y. (k) - y. (k) max y^ (k) - min y^ (k) (1) HV100 should follow the larger-the-better (LB) criterion, which can be expressed as: y^ (k) - min y^ (k) X, (k) = max y. (k) - min y. (k) (2) where x,(k) is the value after the Grey relational generation, min yi(k) is the smallest value of y,(k) for the klh response, and max yi(k) is the largest value of y,(k) for the klh response15. An ideal sequence is [xo(k) (k=1, 2, 3......, 16)] for the responses. The definition of Grey relational grade in the course of Grey relational analysis is to reveal the degree of relation between the 16 sequences [xo(k) and x,(k), i=1, 2, 3,.......,16]. The Grey relational coefficient ^,(k) can be calculated as: ^i(k)= A min - „ A 0 i (k)+^A „ (3) where = Xo (k)-Xi (k) the absolute value of the dif- ference of Xo(k) and Xi(k); ^ is the distinguishing coefficient 0