Title: Optimising the wear performance of HVOF thermal spray coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy by grey relational approach

Authors: S. Thirumalvalavan; N. Senthilkumar

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arunai Engineering College, Tiruvannamalai, 606 603, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, Melmaruvathur, 603 319, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: In this present investigation, wear studies on uncoated Ti-6Al-4V alloy and HVOF coated alloy was studied. For improving the wear resistance of titanium alloy, SiC coating is performed with the help of HVOF thermal spray coating method. Characterisation of uncoated and coated surface was also made by means of micro hardness and tensile test. Dry sliding wear behaviour is studied with the help of pin-on-disc apparatus. The experiments were designed by using Taguchi's DoE; an L₁₆ (4⁴) OA is selected, four parameters (load, speed, distance and track diameter) varied through four levels. To optimise the measured output responses, grey relational analysis is applied. From experimental results; wear loss decreased by 35.71% due to SiC coating. From, ANOVA results, among all four parameters speed contributes by 54% on coated, and track diameter contributes by 42.97% on uncoated alloy. To investigate the wear surfaces SEM micrographs and EDS analysis was carried out.

Keywords: Ti-6Al-4V alloy; high velocity oxy-fuel; HVOF; pin-on-disc; Taguchi's DoE; grey relational analysis; GRA; analysis of variance; ANOVA.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAPIDM.2020.104418

International Journal of Rapid Manufacturing, 2020 Vol.9 No.1, pp.25 - 47

Received: 18 May 2018
Accepted: 06 Oct 2018
Published online: 10 Jan 2020 *