Experimental modeling and multi-objective optimization of traveling wire electro-chemical spark machining (TW-ECSM) process

The present paper attempts to focus an application of a hybrid methodology comprising of Taguchi methodology (TM) coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) for modeling and TM coupled with weighted principal component (WPC) methodology for multiobjective optimization of a self developed traveling wire electro-chemical spark machining (TW-ECSM) process. First optimum level of input parameters is found using TM which is used as the central values in RSM to develop the second-order response model. For multiobjective optimization two quality characteristics surface roughness (Ra) and material removal rate (MRR), which are of opposite nature (Ra is the lower-the-better type, while MRR is the higher-the-better type), have been selected. The WPC is employed for the calculation of weight corresponding to each quality characteristic. The results indicate that the hybrid approaches applied for modeling and optimization of the TW-ECSM process are reasonable.