Title: Optimisation of welding fixture layout for sheet metal components using DOE

Authors: K.M. Arunraja; S. Selvakumar; P. Praveen

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindusthan Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, 641032, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Excel Engineering College, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Machining fixtures are used to locate the workpiece and constrain it during the machining operation. Fixture layout is the positioning of fixturing elements such as clamps and locators. The purpose of this work is to design an optimum fixture layout which reduces the maximum deformation of the sheet metal workpiece caused by clamping and welding forces. This can be achieved by selecting the optimal number of fixture elements with optimum locations. Other than 3-2-1, N-2-1 locating principle is demonstrated with sheet metal workpiece. The deformation of the workpiece is found by ANSYS. The fixture layout optimisation is carried out using response surface methodology and Taguchi methods. Then results of RSM and Taguchi method are compared for optimum layout with minimum deformation. Finally, the better locating scheme with optimum fixture layout is found for minimum deformation of the sheet metal workpiece.

Keywords: fixture layout; optimisation; elastic deformation; Taguchi; sheet metal; response surface methodology; RSM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2019.103703

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2019 Vol.28 No.4, pp.522 - 558

Received: 07 Mar 2018
Accepted: 16 Oct 2018
Published online: 22 Nov 2019 *

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