Article: Optimising the automated plasma cutting process by design of experiments Journal: International Journal of Rapid Manufacturing (IJRAPIDM) 2009 Vol.1 No.1 pp.19 - 40 Abstract: Automated plasma cutting is an effective process for building complex, two-dimensional metallic parts in a short period of time. Because the plasma cutting machine has several factors or input variables to control (e.g., current, cutting speed, torch height, etc.) and the process requires compliance with a variety of part quality characteristics or response variables (e.g., flatness, clean cut, bevel angle, etc.), it is difficult to find a machine setting that improves the overall quality of the manufactured parts. This research was conducted to discover the relevant factors that affect the part|s surface quality characteristics and the optimum machine settings by implementing a design of experiments and following a response surface methodology approach. Desirability functions were used to optimise the automated plasma cutting process. Final results identified an optimal machine configuration that facilitates the fabrication of parts with close-to-perfect quality for all the 18 quality responses considered. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Optimising the automated plasma cutting process by design of experiments

Authors: Bahram Asiabanpour, Durga Tejaswani Vejandla, Jesus Jimenez, Clara Novoa

Addresses: Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. ' Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. ' Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. ' Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA

Abstract: Automated plasma cutting is an effective process for building complex, two-dimensional metallic parts in a short period of time. Because the plasma cutting machine has several factors or input variables to control (e.g., current, cutting speed, torch height, etc.) and the process requires compliance with a variety of part quality characteristics or response variables (e.g., flatness, clean cut, bevel angle, etc.), it is difficult to find a machine setting that improves the overall quality of the manufactured parts. This research was conducted to discover the relevant factors that affect the part|s surface quality characteristics and the optimum machine settings by implementing a design of experiments and following a response surface methodology approach. Desirability functions were used to optimise the automated plasma cutting process. Final results identified an optimal machine configuration that facilitates the fabrication of parts with close-to-perfect quality for all the 18 quality responses considered.

Keywords: plasma cutting; plasma CAM; regression models; desirability function; optimisation; design of experiments; DOE; rapid manufacturing; surface quality; optimum settings; machine settings; response surface methodology; RSM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAPIDM.2009.028930

International Journal of Rapid Manufacturing, 2009 Vol.1 No.1, pp.19 - 40

Published online: 14 Oct 2009 *

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Title: Optimising the automated plasma cutting process by design of experiments

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