Experimental investigations on SS 304 alloy using plasma arc machining

Abstract

Plasma arc machining is a well-recognized unconventional machining process widely used to machine intricate part profiles for alloys which are difficult to machine. The surface roughness, material removal rate (MRR), and kerf ratio are predominant factors which influence the performance and quality of plasma cut surfaces. The present research focusses on the effect of plasma arc cutting parameters such as arc voltage, cutting speed, standoff distance, and plasma offset on the cut quality characteristics of SS 304 alloy machined using two different types of nozzles (130 A and 200 A). The experiments were conducted according to a mixed Taguchi design of L18 orthogonal array, and grey relational analysis technique is used for optimization of the above-said cutting conditions. The experimentation on SS 304 alloy is carried out using two different nozzles and identified the best suited nozzle to cut SS 304 alloy of thickness 6 mm which produces better surface roughness and MRR characteristics. Scanning electron microscopy analysis is carried out to inspect the surface morphologies at various cutting conditions.