The analysis by Taguchi method of the effect of metal carbires on surface modification of ferritic stainless steel

In this study, the surface of AISI 430 stainless steel was alloyed with B4C using the Plasma Transferred Arc welding coating method and the effect of Ti and FeCrC addition was examined. The microstructure of the resultant coating layer was examined through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses by using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Abrasive wear resistance was analyzed by measuring mass loss according to the L16 orthogonal array using the Taguchi design method. The 'smaller the better' principle of the Taguchi method was used in graphic evaluations. Additionally, the effect of wear test factors on mass loss was calculated in % by performing the analysis of variance. As a result, the austenite, martensite, M23(B,C)6, M7(B, C)3, Fe3(C,B), Fe3C, Fe2C, SiC and Ti(B,C) phases were detected in the coating layers. The effect of these phases on wear behavior was evaluated. The Taguchi method is an important method for obtaining high quality without increasing the cost in the optimization of the process parameters. Taguchi experimental design method is an experimental design method trying to minimize the number of experiment allowing to carry out the experimental studies easier and in shorter time. This is a method determining the effectiveness of the parameters in the method through less number of experiments according to the full factorial method on the optimization of long and expensive experiments conducted to determine the effects of a design or factor applied in many fields of industry and also reducing the time of the experiment and the cost.The actual data obtained at the end of the study were formed with the mixed index of L16 (4*2, 2*2) and the remaining wear results were calculated theoretically.