Modeling and parametric optimization of investment casting process by uniting desirability function approach and fuzzy logic

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Pattnaik, Sarojrani | Karunakar, D.B. | Jha, P.K.

Affiliations: Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India

Note: [] Corresponding author. Sarojrani Pattnaik, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee - 247667, India. Tel.: +91 9411769377; Fax: +91 1332 285874; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Investment casting is accepted worldwide on the basis of the superior quality of the castings being produced in terms of high dimensional accuracy and surface finish. It usually employs disposable wax patterns and the quality of the wax patterns are reflected in the investment cast product. Keeping this in mind, integration of desirability function approach and fuzzy logic for the multi-response optimization of wax patterns made by the investment casting process has been conceptualized in the present study. The aforementioned method overcomes the limitation of the desirability function approach for multi-response optimization problems. The responses, linear shrinkage and surface roughness have been considered for simultaneous optimization. The input parameters considered are injection temperature, injection pressure and die temperature. A fuzzy model has been developed with desirability values of responses as inputs and multi-performance index (MPI) as output. The optimal levels of the process parameters are determined through the analysis of means of the MPIs. Confirmatory experiments are conducted to verify the optimal settings. The proposed method may be practically employed by the investment casters around the globe to increase the overall efficiency of the process and product.

Keywords: Desirability function, fuzzy logic, multi-response optimization

DOI: 10.3233/IFS-130809

Journal: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 1235-1244, 2014