TAGUCHI’S METHOD TO DETERMINE THE CASTING PARAMETERS USING OPTIMIZATION INVESTMENT TO MAXIMIZE ITS MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Abstract

nvestment casting is the most adaptable and durable manufacturing process dating back

thousands of years, with a rapidly increasing application. It is used primarily for the development

of complex components near net-shape. A wax pattern in the exact replica of the cast part is usede hre. When the mold has been formed, the wax pattern is melted out. For this purpose this

process is called lost wax process. In this present study investment casting process parameter

is optimized by using Taguchi approach to improve the mechanical properties of mild steel. A set

of experiments were conducted as per Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array to determine the most

influential control factors. For test the performance characteristics, orthogonal range, signal to

noise ratio and variance analysis was used. Data values are obtained under the constraint of

different process parameters like preheat temperature, pouring temperature, preheat time to

investigate their effects on the surface hardness, tensile strength of the final results. The

variations in the trend of the mechanical properties were observed. It was found that high mold

preheat temperature, higher pouring temperature, maximum preheat time significantly reduce

the mechanical properties of the castings