Welding parameters and joint strength optimization during friction stir welding of high density polyethylene (HDPE) using the Taguchi method

Aydın Ülker; Sami Sayer; Vural Ceyhun

doi:10.3139/120.110874

Published by De Gruyter April 22, 2016

Welding parameters and joint strength optimization during friction stir welding of high density polyethylene (HDPE) using the Taguchi method

Schweißparameter und Optimierung der Verbindungsfestigkeit von reibrührgeschweißtem Polyethylen mit hoher Dichte (HDPE) mittels der Taguchi-Methode

Aydın Ülker , Sami Sayer and Vural Ceyhun

From the journal Materials Testing

https://doi.org/10.3139/120.110874

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of important process parameters and tool parameters on joint strength in fiction stir welding process of high density polyethylene (HDPE) using the Taguchi experimental design method. The tool rotation, feed rate and tool shoulder diameter were considered as varying parameter and used to fabricate the joints. The quality of the joint was evaluated by examining the characteristics of the joint as a result of ultimate tensile strength. For friction stir welding of the plates, the experiments were arranged by using Taguchi's L₉ orthogonal array in randomized way. From the analysis of variance and the signal-to-noise response graphs, the significant parameters and the optimal combination level of the parameters were obtained. It was found that using a tool rotation of 1600 rpm, a feed rate of 20 mm·mm⁻¹ and a shoulder diameter of 20 mm, an improved joint strength can be obtained. A confirmation run is also performed to prove the effectiveness of the Taguchi method. The results show that joint strength was improved by about 25% compared with the initial welding parameters.

Kurzfassung

Das Ziel dieser zugrunde liegenden Studie bestand darin, die Auswirkung der wichtigen Verfahrens- und Werkzeugparameter auf die Festigkeit der Verbindungen beim Rührreibschweißen von Polyethylen mit hoher Dichte (HDPE) unter Anwendung der Taguchi-Methode zu untersuchen. Die Werkzeugrotation, die Vorschubgeschwindigkeit und der Werkzeugschulterdurchmesser wurden als variable Parameter genauer untersucht und angewendet, um das Rührreibschweißen zu verwirklichen. Die Qualität der Schweißverbindungen wurde mittels der Ergebnisse der Zugfestigkeit bewertet. Für das Reibrührschweißen der Platten wurden die experimentellen Arbeiten unter Verwendung der Taguchi L₉-orthogonalen Anordnung auf Stichprobenweise evaluiert. Aus der Varianzanalyse und den Antwortdiagrammen des Signal-Rausch-Abstandes wurden die signifikanten Parameter und die optimalen Kombinationen der Parameterniveaus abgeleitet. Es stellte sich heraus, dass mit einer Werkzeugrotation von 1600 U·min^-1, einer Vorschubgeschwindigkeit von 20 mm × min^-1 und einem Schulterdurchmesser von 20 mm eine verbesserte Verbindungsfestigkeit erreicht werden kann. Um die Wirksamkeit des Taguchi-Verfahrens nachzuweisen, wurde ein Bestätigungsversuch durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Verbindungsfestigkeit um etwa 25% gegenüber den ursprünglichen Schweißparametern verbessert werden kann.

*Correspondence Address, Associate Prof. Dr. Sami Sayer, Department of Polymer Technology, Ege Vocational School, Product Lifecycle Management Center, Ege University, Bornova, 35040, Izmir, Turkey, E-mail: sami.sayer@ege.edu.tr

Dr. Aydın Ülker, born in 1970, received his BSc (1993) and MSc (1995) degrees from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. He obtained his PhD degree (2015) in Mechanical Engineering with a dissertation in the field of friction stir welding of polyethylene from Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. He served as a product design and development engineer in Arçelik A.Ş., Izmir, Turkey, a company producing durable goods, and as an international project manager as well as a manufacturing and operations manager in Teba A.Ş., Izmir, Turkey in the field of manufacturing HVAC&R machinery. Currently, he is part time instructor in Ege Vocational School at Ege University and in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. His current research interests include joining methods of thermoplastics, friction stir welding/processing of polymer based engineering materials, product design and development, product life cycle management, quality engineering and experimental design methods.

Associate Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sami Sayer, born in 1959, studied Mechanical Engineering at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany and received his doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering with a dissertation regarding friction stir welding of aluminum alloys from Ege University in Izmir, Turkey. He has worked as a product design and development engineer at a vacuum pump manufacturing company in Germany, and as a product development manager at a white goods companyin Turkey. Since 2002, he is a lecturer at Ege University. He is specialized in plastics technology and welding methods such as friction stir welding and hot plate welding, product design and development and product life cycle management.

Prof. Dr. Vural Ceyhun, born in 1955, studied Mechanical Engineering at Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. He received his MSc (1986) degree from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. He achieved his doctoral degree at Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, in 1992. In the same year, he became Assistant Professor, in 1994, Associate Professor and in 1999, Professor at Trakya University in Turkey. Since 2002, he is working as Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Ege University,. His areas of expertise include material science, engineering materials, manufacturing processes, welding technology, welding metallurgy and casting.

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Published Online: 2016-04-22

Published in Print: 2016-05-02

Welding parameters and joint strength optimization during friction stir welding of high density polyethylene (HDPE) using the Taguchi method

Abstract

Kurzfassung

References

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