Modelling and optimization of laser welding of Al2024 aluminium alloy
Abstract
Purpose
Aluminium alloys can be used as lightweight and high-strength materials in combination with the technology of laser beam welding, an efficient joining method, in the manufacturing of automotive parts. The purposes of this paper are to conduct laser welding experiments with Al2024 in the lap joint configuration, model the laser welding process parameters of Al2024 alloys and use propounded models to optimize the process parameters.
Design/methodology/approach
Laser welding of Al2024 alloy has been conducted in the lap joint configuration. Then, the influences of explanatory variables (laser peak power, scanning speed and frequency) on outcome variables (weld width [WW], throat length [TL] and breaking load [BL]) have been investigated with Poisson regression analysis of the data set derived from experimentation. Thereafter, a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) has been used using MATLAB to find the optimum solutions. The effects of various input process parameters on the responses have also been analysed using response surface plots.
Findings
The promulgated statistical models, derived with Poisson regression analysis, are evinced to be well-fit ones using the analysis of deviance approach. Pareto fronts have been used to demonstrate the optimization results, and the maximized load-bearing capacity is computed to be 1,263 N, whereas the compromised WW and TL are 714 µm and 760 µm, respectively.
Originality/value
This work of conducting laser welding of lap joint of Al2024 alloy incorporating the Taguchi method and optimizing the input process parameters with the promulgated statistical models proffers a neoteric perspective that can be useful to the manufacturing industry.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This article, to a considerable extent, reports the outcomes of an assignment taken up by the first author in October 2022 under the supervision of the third author while pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree course at Jadavpur University (2022 to present). This work is in furtherance of the thesis of the first author that was submitted and successfully defended as a part of a Master of Technology (MTech) degree course at the same university in 2021. The first author would like to express gratitude to Mr Dipten Misra, Director, School of Laser Science and Engineering, Jadavpur University for according permission pertaining to the usage of laboratory facilities.
Citation
Dey, U., Duggirala, A. and Mitra, S. (2023), "Modelling and optimization of laser welding of Al2024 aluminium alloy", World Journal of Engineering, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJE-10-2022-0421
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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