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Materials Today: Proceedings 2 (2015) 1464 1468

4th International Conference on Materials Processing and Characterization

Optimization of InfluentialParameters on Mechanical behaviour of

AlMg1 SiCu Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites using
Taguchi integrated Fuzzy Approach
M.Vamsi Krishnaa,G.Bala Narasimhab, N.RajeshcAnthony M .Xaviord
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, M.I.T.S, Madanapalle, A.P, India
Department of Mechanical Engineering, S. V. College of Engineering, Tirupathi, A.P, India
4
SMBS,VIT,Vellore,Tamil Nadu

b,c

Abstract
Aluminium alloy materials found to the best alternative with its unique capacity of designing the materials to give required
properties. Aluminium alloy Metal Matrix Composites (AMMCs) are gaining wide spread acceptance for automobile, industrial,
and aerospace applications because of their low density, high strength and good structural rigidity. In this paper, an attempt is
made to examine the effect of influential parameters such as type of reinforcement, size of the reinforcing particle and weight
percentage on mechanical properties. Stir casting technique has been employed to prepare the composites. The response
parameters were tensile strength, impact strength and density. The design of experiments (DOE) approach using taguchi method
was employed to analyze the mechanical behaviour of hybrid composites. Fuzzy approach were used to investigate the optimal
combination of influencing parameters on the mechanical behaviour.

The Authors.
Elsevier
Ltd. All rights reserved.
2014
2015 Elsevier
Ltd. All
rights reserved.
the 4th International
on
Selection
andpeer-review
peer-review
under
responsibility
of conference
the conference
committee
members
of International
Selection and
under
responsibility
of the
committee
members
of the 4th
conferenceconference
on Materials
ProcessingProcessing
and Characterization.
Materials
and Characterization.
Keywords:Hybrid MMCs, DOE, Taguchi, Fuzzy logic

1. Introduction:
Conventional monolithic materials have limitations in achieving good combination of Strength, stiffness,
toughness and density. To overcome these shortcomings and to meet the ever Increasing demand of modern day
technology, composites are most promising materials of recent interest, one of these being Hybrid Metal Matrix
Composites (HMMCs) which possess high specific strength, toughness, impact strength and low sensitivity to
temperature changes. As a result, many of the current applications for HMMCs are in aerospace and automobile
components, where the service environments are demanding and dynamic loading is common [1].HMMCs typically
are made of discontinuous fiber or particle phase that is stiffer and stronger than the continuous matrix phase.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +0-000-000-0000 ; fax: +0-000-000-0000 .
E-mail address:vamsikrishnam@mits.ac.in

2214-7853 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the conference committee members of the 4th International conference on Materials Processing
and Characterization.
doi:10.1016/j.matpr.2015.07.071

M.Vamsi Krishna et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 2 (2015) 1464 1468

1465

Aluminum based MMCS are still the subjects of intense studies, as their low density gives additional advantages
in several applications. Among the various useful aluminum alloys, aluminum alloy AlMg1 SiCu (Al 6061) is
typically characterized by properties such as fluidity, castability, corrosion resistance and high strength-weight ratio.
This alloy has been commonly used as a base metal for MMCs reinforced with a variety of fibers, particles and
whiskers [2].In recent years, considerable work has been done on Silicon carbide reinforced metal matrix
composites, because of its high strength, and also graphite reinforced metal matrix composites which exhibit low
density, low wear rate and excellent antiseizing properties. Mechanical properties of MMCs are affected by the size,
shape and weight fraction of the reinforcement, matrix material and reaction at the interface [3].
2. Literature review:
K.L.meena, et.al [4] investigated their work on Al/SiC Metal matrix composites with Al 6063 as matrix and SiC
as reinforcement of various sizes i.e,74, 53,44 by the melt stirring technique, and reported that the mechanical
properties were increased by decreasing the particle size and increasing the weight fraction of reinforcement. Khalid
Mahmood Ghauri et.al [5] investigated their work on mechanical properties of Al/SiC Metal matrix composites
with Al 6061 as matrix and SiC as reinforcement of 10 by varying the weight fraction of the composites, and
reported that the mechanical properties were increased by increasing the weight fraction of reinforcement.Prashant.S
et.al [6] investigated their work on mechanical properties of Al/Gr Metal matrix composites with Al 6061 as matrix
and Graphite as reinforcement by varying the weight fraction of the composites, and reported that the tensile
strength increases high upto 9% and increases very slightly more than 9%, because of excess of graphite. S.
Dhanalakshmi et.al investigated their work on processing parameters of AlSiC MMC produced by stir casting [7].
Vijaya Kumar and Venkataramaiah [8] have developed a hybrid approach by combining Taguchi, grey relational
analysis method and fuzzy logic to reap their advantage in drilling process.
Fuzzy logic: Fuzzy logic has great capability to capture human commonsense reasoning, decision-making and
other aspects of human cognition. It overcomes the limitations of classic logical systems, which impose inherent
restrictions on representation of imprecise concepts. Vagueness in the coefficients and constraints may be naturally
modeled by fuzzy logic. Modeling by fuzzy logic opens up a new way to optimize cutting conditions and also tool
selection importance of integration between fuzzy and ANN-based technique for effective process control in
manufacturing. Several applications of fuzzy set theory-based modeling of metal cutting processes are reported in
the literature.
Hashmi, El Baradie, and Ryan [9] applied fuzzy set theory logic for selection of cutting conditions in machining.
Lee, Yang, and Moon[10] used fuzzy set theory-based non-linear model for a turning process as a more effective
tool than conventional mathematical modeling techniques if there exists fuzziness in the process control variables
3. Experimentation:
3.1Materials and preparation:
The matrix material for present study is AlMg1 SiCu alloy. The reinforcing material selected was silicon
carbide particle and graphite of size 3, 18 and 37 m.In this process, first the aluminium alloy was placed in an
electrical resistance furnace and heated to above its liquidus temperature i.e. 750 0 c, so that the metal is totally
melted. This melt is then cooled down to a temperature between the liquidus and solidus points and kept in a semi
solid state. Prior to particle addition, Magnesium powder was added to melt to maintain the Wettability. At this
stage, the preheated particles are added in three steps into the melt and mixed with the help of stirrer for 10 mins,
and the melt was poured into the gravity die at 7300 - 8000c.
3.2Testing of composites:
The tensile behaviour of all the prepared samples were determined as per ASTM B-557 M Standard Test
Methods of Tension Testing Wrought and Cast Aluminum- and Magnesium-Alloy Products. The Impact strength of
the composites were carried out on charpy impact tester as per ASTM E 23 02a Standard Test Methods for
Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials .The densities of all the prepared specimens were investigated
experimentally by the Archimedeans principle.
Mechanical Properties tests have been performed on prepared composites by considering different parameter
combinations. Tensile strength, Impact strength and Density are selected as indices to evaluate the mechanical

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M.Vamsi Krishna et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 2 (2015) 1464 1468

properties of the MMC. Therefore these are considered as response characteristics in this study. Basically tensile
strength and impact strength should be maximized and Density should be minimized for any MMC for better
performance.
In the present work, three influential parameters are considered and each parameter is set at three levels. The
parameters and its levels are shown in Table - 1. For full factorial design, the experimental runs required are
(levels)(factors) equal to 33 = 27. To minimize the experimental cost, fractional factorial design is chosen, ie.33-1 = 9
runs. Therefore Taguchi experimental design L9 is chosen for conducting experiments (Table - 2). Experiments are
performed according to this design and the values of Tensile strength, Impact strength and Density are recorded
(Table - 2) for each experimental run.
Table - 1. Influential parameters at three levels
Parameters Design
Level - 1
SiC
3
5

Type of reinforcement
Size of particle (m)
Weight Percentage(%)

Process Parameters
Level - 2
Level 3
Graphite
SiC/Graphite
18
37
10
15

4. Optimization of machining parameters:

The responses Tensile strength, Impact strength and Density are analyzed using fuzzy tool box of Matlab
software and overall fuzzy grade values are determined. The optimum levels of influential parameters are
determined based on overall fuzzy grade as follows:
Implementation of Fuzzy Logic: Fuzzy logic involves a fuzzy interference engine and a fuzzification defuzzification module. Fuzzification expresses the input variables in the form of fuzzy membership values based on
various membership functions. Governing rules in linguistic form, for example if cutting force is high and machining
time is high, then tool wear is high, are formulated on the basis of experimental observations. Based on each rule,
inference can be drawn on output grade and membership value. Inferences obtained from various rules are combined
to arrive at a final decision. The membership values thus obtained are defuzzified using various techniques to obtain
true value.
Table 2 Experimental design and Data
Exp.
Run No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Input
Type of
reinforcement
SiC
SiC
SiC
Graphite
Graphite
Graphite
SiC/Graphite
SiC/Graphite
SiC/Graphite

Size
()

Wt.
(%)

3
18
37
3
18
37
3
18
37

5
10
15
10
15
5
15
5
10

Tensile
strength
(Mpa)
161.24
155.83
150.95
144.61
143.75
144.26
192.45
184.32
177.23

Responses
Impact
strength
(Joules)
26
27
30
21
19
16
43
26
29

Density
(gm/cc)
2.77
2.75
2.74
2.58
2.64
2.66
2.59
2.62
2.61

4.1 Determination of overall fuzzy grade:

A fuzzy logic unit comprises a fuzzifier, membership functions, a fuzzy rule base, an inference engine and a
defuzzifier. In the fuzzy logic analysis, the fuzzifier uses membership functions to fuzzify the grey relational
coefficient first. Next, the inference engine performs a fuzzy reasoning on fuzzy rules to generate a fuzzy value.
Finally, the defuzzifier converts the fuzzy value into a fuzzy grade. The structure built for this study is a three inputone-output fuzzy logic unit as shown in Fig. 1. The function of the fuzzifier is to convert outside crisp sets of input
data into proper linguistic fuzzy sets of information.
The input variables of the fuzzy logic system in this study are Tensile strength, Impact strength and Density.
They are converted into linguistic fuzzy subsets using membership functions of a triangle form, as shown in Fig. 2,
and are uniformly assigned into three fuzzy subsetsLow (L), Medium (M), and High (H) grade. The fuzzy rule
base consists of a group of if-then control rules to express the inference relationship between input and output. A

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M.Vamsi Krishna et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 2 (2015) 1464 1468

typical linguistic fuzzy rule called Mamdani is described as

Rule 1: if x1 is A1, x2 is B1 then y is E1elseRule 2: if x1 is A2 , x2 is B2 ,then y is E2
else

.Rule n: if x1 is An, x2 is Bn, then y is Enelse

In above Ai, Bi are fuzzy subsets defined by the Corresponding membership functions i.e., /4Ai, /4Bi. The
output variable is the Fuzzy grade yo, and also converted into linguistic fuzzy subsets using membership functions
of a triangle form, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 Three input and one out output fuzzy logic unit

Fig. 2 Input parameters for fuzzy

Fig. 3 Membership functions for output values

Unlike the input variables, the output variable is assigned into relatively nine subsets i.e., very verylow (VVL), very
low (VL), low (L) Medium low (ML) medium low, medium (M), medium high (MH) high (H), very high (VH),
very very high (VVH) Then, considering the conformity of three performance characteristics for input variables, 9
fuzzy rules are defined. The fuzzy inference engine is the kernel of a fuzzy system. It can solve a problem by
simulating the thinking and decision pattern of human being using approximate or fuzzy reasoning. In this paper, the
max-min compositional operation of Mamdani is adopted to perform calculation of fuzzy reasoning.
4.2 Optimal levels of Machining Parameters
After determining the overall fuzzy grade values as listed inTable-3, the effect of each process parameter is
separated based on overall Fuzzy grade at different levels. Basically, large Fuzzy grade means it is close to the
product quality, thus, a higher value of the Fuzzy grade is desirable. From the table 4, it shows that the experiment
run 7 has highest fuzzy grade i.e, 0.9153 and it indicates the optimal process parameters with the best level are type
of reinforcement is SiC/Gr (hybid) at level - 3, size 3 at level-1 and weight percentage 15% at level- 3. The optimal
levels for the controllable parameters obtained from this methodology are verified by the conformation test shown in
Table-4.
Table 3: Overall fuzzy grade
Exp. Run
Overall
fuzzy grade

0.2714

0.2908

0.301

0.4088

0.2832

0.2067

0.9153

0.6339

0.6642

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M.Vamsi Krishna et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 2 (2015) 1464 1468

Table 4. Conformation test results

Type of
reinforcement

Size
()

Wt.
(%)

Tensile
strength
(Mpa)

Impact
strength
(Joules)

Density
(gm/cc)

15

192.39

44

2.59

5.

Conclusions:
The experiments have been conducted on various levels and parameters and obtained data has been analyzed
using Fuzzy logic. The influence of type of reinforcement, size and weight percentage of theparticle on mechanical
behaviour of composites was studied. Optimum influencing parameter combination has been found at the size of 3,
combined SiC/Graphite of 15 % using fuzzy logic technique which yields good results in high strength and low
density.
6.

Reference
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