Optimization of grinding titanium with 2%CNT-CBN wheel using TOPSIS
Deborah Serenade Stephen, Prabhu Sethuramalingam
Abstract
Surface grinding, for most products, is the last step in its manufacture and has to be done carefully considering the surface finish it produces. This research work has focused on creating a new grinding wheel to grind difficult-to-machine metals, especially Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4 V). Including 2% Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) directly with CBN abrasives has shown a remarkable surface finish improvement. A full factorial design for experimentation was used, and surface roughness measurements and Material Removal Rates (MRR) were considered as yardsticks for the efficiency of this process. Further analyses have been carried out to determine their optimum parameters. Both theoretical and experimental routes have been pursued. The ‘Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution’ (TOPSIS) route has been chosen to arrive at the right choice of operating parameters. This technique has been used in conjugation with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to arrive at the right combination of grinding parameters, considering that the grinding process qualifies for using a multi-criteria decision-making method. Confirmatory tests have been conducted, and very little difference was found.