Grey–Taguchi method to optimize the percent zinc coating balances edge joints for galvanized steel sheets using metal inert gas pulse brazing process

Abstract

The objective of this work was to optimize the percent zinc coating balances edge joints of galvanized steel sheets using the metal inert gas pulse brazing process. The Taguchi method and grey relational analysis were used to determine the relationship between the metal inert gas pulse brazing process parameters and percent zinc coating balances edge joints. The metal inert gas pulse brazing process parameters used in this study included wire feed speeds, arc voltages, travel speed, peak currents, and pulse frequency. The characteristics of metal inert gas pulse brazing process that were considered to find response were percent zinc coating balances edge joints on the upper edge joint (PZBEJ1), the lower edge joint (PZBEJ2), and the back sides of the edge joint (PZBEJ3). Analysis of variance was performed to determine the impact of an individual process parameter on the quality parameters. The results showed that the optimal parameters in which grey relational grade increases at the highest level were wire feed speeds at 3.25 m/min, arc voltages at 16 V, travel speeds at 0.9 m/min, peak currents at 425 A, and pulse frequency at 35 Hz. These parameters gave a 74.90% higher response value than those of the initial parameters of metal inert gas pulse brazing process.