Multiple Performance Characteristics Optimization in the WEDM process of SKD61 Tool Steel using Taguchi method combined with Weighted Principal Component Analysis (WPCA)

摘要

This paper presents the optimization of a wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process of SKD61 tool steel (AISI H13). The use of the Taguchi method coupled with weighted principal component analysis (WPCA) has been applied. The WEDM machining parameters (arc on time, on time, open voltage, off time and servo voltage) were optimized with considerations of multiple performance characteristics, i.e., recast layer thickness (RL) and surface roughness (SR). The quality characteristics of both RL and SR were smaller-is-better. WPCA was applied to eliminate response correlation and to convert correlated responses into equal or less number of uncorrelated quality indices called principal components. Experimental results have shown that machining performance of the WEDM process can be improved effectively through the combination of Taguchi method and WPCA.