EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON SURFACE MODIFICATION OF ALUMINUM BY ELECTRIC DISCHARGE COATING PROCESS USING<i>TiC/Cu</i>GREEN COMPACT TOOL-ELECTRODE

Abstract

This article presents the surface modification of aluminum workpiece by electric discharge coating (EDC) process using TiC /Cu green compact tool-electrode. Powder metallurgy (P/M) tool-electrodes were used to create hard layer(s) on the workpiece surface by a material transfer from this tool-electrode (produced with powder metallurgy) to the workpiece surface it was possible to create hard layer(s) there with high tribological properties and integrity. The present study has been carried out to investigate the effect of input parameters (peak current, pulse-on time, composition and compaction pressure of the tool-electrode) on process performance parameters (roughness and micro-hardness of workpiece surface and coating layer thickness). Regression models have been developed to define a mathematical correlation between input and process performance parameters. Analysis of variance has been conducted at the 95% confidence level, to test the significance of these models. The results of the experiments indicate that the regression models are highly significant. Confirmation experiments were conducted to validate the developed model. By the realization of ‘‘confirmation experiments’’, it became evident that the developed regression models were correct and acceptable. Moreover, EDX analysis of worksample obtained of the workpiece surface has been carried out to confirm the process of material transferring mentioned above.