Application of Taguchi Method for Optimization of Process Parameters for Wear loss of LM25/Flyash Composite
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are now gaining their usage in tribological industries because of their inherent properties like high strength to weight ratio, low wear rate etc. The present study deals with investigation relating to the influence of wear parameters like sliding speed, applied load, reinforcement wt% and sliding distance on the dry sliding wear. A pin-on-disc apparatus was used to conduct the dry sliding wear test. The design of experiment approach was employed to acquire data in controlled way using Taguchi method. Multiple regression analysis, Signal-to-Noise ratio and Analysis of Variance were employed to investigate the wear behaviour of aluminium composite. The incorporation of fly ash as reinforcement material in aluminium matrix material improves the tribological characteristics.
Optimization of testing parameters on the wear behaviour of metal matrix composites based on the Taguchi method
Abstract The weight loss model of aluminium alloy composites with 10 wt.% SiC particles by molten metal mixing method was developed in terms of abrasive grain size, reinforcement size used in the composite, applied load and sliding distance using the Taguchi method. The two-body abrasive wear behaviour of the specimen was investigated using pin-on-disc method where the samples slid against various size of SiC abrasive grits under different conditions. The orthogonal array, signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance were employed to study the optimal testing parameters on composites with 50 and 100 μm particle sizes. The experimental results demonstrate that the abrasive grain size was the major parameter on abrasive wear, followed by reinforcement size. The sliding distance and applied load, however, were found to have a neglecting effect. Moreover, the optimal combination of the testing parameters could be predicted. The predicted weight loss of the composite samples was found to lie close to that of the experimentally observed ones.
Heritage Languages: In the 'Wild' and in the Classroom
Heritage speakers are people raised in a home where one language is spoken who subsequently switch to another dominant language. The version of the home language that they have not completely acquired – heritage language – has only recently been given the attention it deserves from linguists and language instructors. Despite the appearance of great variation among heritage speakers, they fall along a continuum based upon the speakers’ distance from the baseline language. Such a continuum-based model enables researchers and instructors to classify heritage speakers more accurately and readily. This article discusses the results of research on lower-proficiency speakers, identifying recurrent features of heritage languages in phonology, morphology, and syntax. Preliminary results indicate that different heritage languages share a number of structural similarities; this finding is important for the understanding of general processes involved in language acquisition. The article also presents implications of the main findings for language education and identifies areas needing further study.