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In-situ consolidation of thermoplastic composites using Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) technology is an emerging manufacturing technique, offering tailored composite properties through customised processing parameters. Multiple competing parameters during AFP manufacturing influence the quality and mechanical performance of the laminates. These lay-up parameters are interrelated, and often require comprehensive experimental characterisation which is costly and time-intensive. This study aims to optimise the fracture toughness of in-situ consolidated thermoplastic composite (AS4/APC-2) and investigate the mechanisms that contribute to it. Taguchi's method is employed to efficiently analyse the effect of various process parameters at multiple levels. Based on the obtained results, a considerable effect of process parameters on Mode I and II fracture toughness is observed. The statistical analysis reveals that the Hot Gas Torch (HGT) temperature required for AFP processing significantly affects the Mode I fracture toughness, contributing to 33.8%. Whereas, the consolidation force, another key processing parameter in AFP notably affects Mode II fracture toughness, with the contribution of 81.8%. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) reveals interdependent processing parameter relations for both fracture modes. A validation test showed good agreement between the predicted fracture toughness and the experimental test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of science and technology, automatic assisted driving is becoming a trend that cannot be ignored. The You Only Look Once (YOLO) model is usually used to detect roads and drivable areas. Since YOLO is often used for a single task and its parameter combination is difficult to obtain, we propose a Taguchi-based YOLO for panoptic driving perception (T-YOLOP) model to improve the accuracy and computing speed of the model in deteching drivable areas and lanes, making it a more practical panoptic driving perception system. In the T-YOLOP model, the Taguchi method is used to determine the appropriate parameter combination. Our experiments use the BDD100K database to verify the performance of the proposed T-YOLOP model. Experimental results show that the accuracies of the proposed T-YOLOP model in deteching drivable areas and lanes are 97.9 and 73.9%, respectively, and these results are better than those of the traditional YOLOP model. Therefore, the proposed T-YOLOP model successfully provides a more reliable solution for the application of panoramic driving perception systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of reinforcement ratio, drill bit material, and drilling process parameters on the cutting forces generated during the drilling of glass sphere‐reinforced polypropylene composites were investigated experimentally. Test specimens were produced by conventional injection‐moulding of glass sphere reinforced polypropylene composite materials at 5 %, 10 % and 20 % wt. ratios. High speed steel, titanium‐coated high‐speed steel, and carbide drill bits with 4 mm diameter were preferred for drilling. In addition, the drilling process was carried out on a 3‐axis computer numeric control milling machine. Three different feed rates of 0.05 mm/rev, 0.10 mm/rev, and 0.15 mm/rev and cutting speeds of 12 m⋅min−1, 16 m⋅min−1, and 20 m⋅min−1 were determined for the drilling process. In addition, Taguchi experimental optimization method, analysis of variance and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the morphology of the drilled surface and the wear mechanisms occurring on the drill bit due to the drilling process. The test findings showed that the maximum torque value was 54.64 N⋅mm and the maximum thrust force was 100.43 N. The optimum test parameter for cutting forces was observed as C1D3FR1CS3. Drill parameter had an effect of 40.96 % on thrust force and 36.11 % on torque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elliptical U-tube heat exchanger (EUTHE) is widely used in various cooling systems of nuclear engineering for its simple geometrical structure and small space cost. In this paper, a two-phase flow field model of an EUTHE is constructed to analyze the flow characteristics in the elbow zone under different structures with the influence mechanism of droplet motion and liquid film distribution. The Taguchi method is used to investigate the influence of heat transfer performance by structural parameters, and the fitted model is analyzed by regression analysis as well as ANOVA to ensure the accuracy of the prediction results. The results show that thick tubes have a wider liquid film distribution because they are more difficult to trap droplets, achieving high heat transfer capacity while reducing separation efficiency and pressure drop. In addition, the heat transfer capacity and the pressure drop are mostly improved by the increase of the U-tube cross-section long axis length (L2) at the expense of reduced separation efficiency. The optimal cases for each target were obtained by analyzing the influence mechanism of each structural factor, for example, the largest heating tube section (L1) and the U-tube cross-section long axis length (L2), to determine which will lead to the highest heat transfer capacity, which mainly is due to the fact that an increase in these factors leads to the increment of contact area between the fluid and the wall. This work provides a guideline for the design of EUTHE and brings greater benefits to the development of nuclear engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, additive manufacturing has been widely used in industrial, medical, and educational fields. Material extrusion is used in most industries to increase development efficiency and reduce costs. This study used the material extrusion to discuss the print quality of additive manufacturing and optimized the processing parameters based on material properties. Based on the literature, this study summarized the fishbone diagram influencing printing quality. The layer height, nozzle temperature, printing speed, infill pattern, and filling spacing were selected as the control factors of the Taguchi method. An orthogonal array L16 was used for parameter design. The optimal parameters were analyzed using the variance and the response surface method. The results of the study are as follows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrofoil is a basic shape of fluid machinery blades, and its drag reduction performance is an important reference index in the field of fluid transportation. When fluid flows around a hydrofoil, it generates friction drag and pressure drag, greatly reducing the hydrofoil's hydraulic performance. This study designs a bionic drag reduction structure by arranging fish scales on a Clark-Y hydrofoil. The overlapping size, thickness, and coverage area of fish scales are taken as design parameters, and the optimal design scheme is attained by using the Taguchi method. Large eddy simulation is used to numerically simulate various schemes. Results show that when the overlapping size O is 2.00 mm, the thickness h is 0.36 mm, the initial position x/C of the fish scale covering is 0 (where C is the chord length of the hydrofoil), and the hydrofoil exhibits excellent drag reduction performance. The total drag reduction rate of the hydrofoil is up to 35.15%, and the drag reduction rate of friction drag and pressure drag is up to 39.56% and 25.64%, respectively. The lift–drag ratio of the hydrofoil increases by 18.04%. The bionic fish scale structure effectively inhibits turbulence, thereby reducing the drag caused by the transformation of laminar flow to turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes the step-wise procedures involved in the development and fabrication of indigenous multi-resin 3D printer using vat photopolymerization process. The demand for simultaneous (i.e. single step) fabrication of multi-material intricate designs is exponentially increasing in the customization industries. The step-wise procedure involves the utilization of conceptual design approach to evaluate various sub-functions and their available solutions. Upon successfully identifying the sub-functions, their solutions, and the inter-dependency involved, three different types of multi-resin 3D printers are being be designed. Among the three proposed multi-resin 3D printer designs, the most optimized one is selected through the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) 2225 guidelines. During the feasibility analysis as per the VDI 2225 guidelines, equal importance is given to the technical and economic aspects. Upon selection, the 3D printer is indigenously constructed using the locally available components and equipment. Moreover, the Taguchi method of level-3 is used to evaluate the best printing parameters for two different resins namely: DK-W (Dark-Water washable) and LT-W Light-Water washable). Furthermore, post-curing shrinkage analysis is carried out to examine the dimensional discrepancies. The excellent performance of the proposed printer was demonstrated by satisfactory printing of complex geometrical parts: Mobius ring and a ball inside a cage with acceptable accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the effects of feed speed, ballbar radius, and pitch as control factors on the measurement outcomes of the helical path ballbar test were investigated in a robotic machining setup. The goal was to provide guidance on selecting setup parameters for the helical path ballbar test in machining operations, aiming to enhance the precision of helical path compensation and the accuracy of dynamic error extraction. The Taguchi method, using an L27 array, was employed to evaluate the effects of each control factor at three levels. Circular deviation (CD) before and after helical path compensation was measured as the response variable, and the signal-to-noise ratio was calculated. The results indicated that ballbar radius and feed speed significantly influence the CD after helical compensation. Additionally, a regression model was developed based on setup parameters and CD from circular ballbar tests, demonstrating predictive accuracy with an error margin below 6.44%. This prediction model can guide the selection of machining parameters for helical milling, specifically for dynamic error extraction. Overall, these findings offer valuable insights into optimizing helical path ballbar test setups for improved accuracy in both helical path compensation and dynamic error extraction in machining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is utilized to cut sophisticated curves or shapes that would be challenging to cut using traditional techniques. The challenge lies in simultaneously optimizing multiple conflicting objectives, such as maximizing material removal rate (MRR) while minimizing surface roughness (SR) and kerf width, to achieve high-quality machining results. This study addresses this challenge by introducing a multi-objective optimization approach using the Taguchi method and the Design of Experiments (DOE) to optimize WEDM parameters. The WEDM model AQ327L cut a workpiece material from stainless steel AISI 304 using a 0.25-mm brass wire electrode diameter. The variable input parameters were a pulse on time (Ton), a pulse of time (Toff), and a peak current (IP). The average of means analysis (ANOM), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and single-to-noise (S/N) ratio were used to determine the effect of WEDM parameters on the responses. The multi-objectives optimization introduced the ideal setting parameters were a combination of 11.33 μs Ton, 24 μs Toff, and 11 A IP. ANOVA and ANOM demonstrated that the Ton followed by IP are the most influential factors in the MRR and kerf width. In contrast, the Ton followed by the Toff are the most influential factors in SR. Finally, the findings demonstrated that the multi-objective optimization by the Taguchi approach could increase the quality of the WEDM process of AISI 304. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huff-n-puff water injection has been considered a cost-effective method to improve oil recovery for multiple fractured horizontal wells in tight oil reservoirs. However, the performance of this technique depends heavily on the operational parameters and needs to be optimized. In the study, Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was employed to optimize the parameters to have a synergistic effect on well oil production. Both signal-to-noise ratio and main effect results suggest that the influences of the factors on the well oil production were ranked by water injection volume > water injection rate > soaking time > liquid production rate, and the most efficient combination of parameters were 5000 m3 water injection volume, 200 m3/d injection rate, 30 m3/d liquid production rate, and 50 days soaking time. Moreover, Analysis of Variance was used to examine the contribution rate of each factor for the well oil production. It was indicated that the water injection volume was the most influential parameter at 85.29% contribution, followed by water injection rate at 10.85%, soaking time at 1.78%, and liquid production rate at 1.56%. Such findings provide insights into the optimization of oil recovery for the water huff-n-puff injection operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a comprehensive methodology for accurate State of Charge (SOC) estimation in lithium-ion batteries by optimizing equivalent circuit model (ECM) parameters under varying temperature conditions using the Taguchi method. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to evaluate the influence of these parameters on ECM accuracy. Experiments were conducted at −10 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C to evaluate the effects of pulse time gap, discharge pulse time, and C-rate on SOC estimation accuracy. A genetic algorithm-based multi-objective optimization technique was employed to minimize RMSE in the extended Kalman filter (EKF) SOC estimation process. The results showed that temperature significantly impacts SOC prediction, with deviations most pronounced at low (−10 °C) and high (40 °C) temperatures. When assessments are conducted for different SOC levels (SOC90, SOC50, SOC30), the key results highlight the substantial influence of pulse time gap and discharge pulse time on model accuracy. Also, it was observed that there is a significant reduction in RMSE, indicating improved performance under optimized conditions. The findings are particularly relevant for real-time applications, such as electric vehicles, where accurate SOC estimation is crucial for battery management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two different Al2O3-TiO2 and SiO2-TiO2 hybrid TiO2 particles were synthesised by using silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) to suppress the photocatalysis of TiO2. Key variables such as the concentration of the hybridization material (C), heating temperature (Th), and calcinating temperature (Tc) were selected with performance measured by photodegradation rate. The Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, a systematic approach used in the design of experiments (DOE), confirmed A333 (Al2O3-TiO2) achieved 99% photodegradation suppression with photodegradation rate reduced significantly from 0.01305 min-1 to 0.00009 min-1 and improved yellowing resistance by 63%, while S323 (SiO2-TiO2) achieved 75% suppression with photocatalysis activity decreased from 0.01305 min-1 to 0.0033 min-1 and 42% improved resistance. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis showed A333 had a higher rutile phase (40.1% vs. 10.2% for S323), and Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analyses revealed A333's rougher surface and lower surface area compared to S323 and pure TiO2. Overall, A333 effectively suppressed photocatalysis and improved yellowing resistance of epoxy thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ideal theoretical model integrating four revolute joints is developed to capture the kinematic behaviour of a vehicle scissor door joint mechanism. Then, triaxial acceleration experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the developed theoretical model. Furthermore, to improve dynamic responses of the mechanism, a novel discrete multi-objective optimization (DMO) method is proposed to address optimization problems where design variables cannot be parameterized. This method integrates the Taguchi method, grey relational analysis and a hybrid multi-objective decision-making approach, and iteratively updates the orthogonal array to perform optimization for handling design variables with multiple levels. Compared to the conventional non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), the developed DMO is capable of achieving the Pareto frontier with fewer evaluations of the objective function. The optimization results reveal that the optimized design for the electric and gas struts exhibits favourable dynamic responses of scissor door operation compared to the initial design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and optimization of propellers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are essential for optimal performance and high efficiency. This study presents a numerical investigation of the aerodynamic performance of coaxial octocopters using openfoam as flow solver. While the aerodynamic performance is affected by many parameters, the current study focuses on four main parameters: the propeller type, the horizontal and vertical separation distances between the propellers, and the ratio between the rotational speeds of the upper propeller and the lower one. To find the minimum number of simulations to be performed within defined limits, and reduce the number of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that cause high computational cost, Taguchi method was employed. In this study, average thrusts were calculated for the preliminary design of the octocopter by examining an isolated single propeller and dual- and quad propellers taking their rotation directions into account. The Taguchi design matrix revealed that for all cases investigated, the propeller type is the most dominant design parameter followed by the velocity ratio of the upper propeller to the lower one (⁠nU/nL⁠) and vertical (z/D) and horizontal (l/D⁠) orientation of coaxial propellers. However, it was shown that l/D and z/D may play a significant role in vortex formation and pressure fluctuations which should be considered as design criteria for coaxial octocopters associated with flow attributes. The results showed that the aerodynamic performance parameters are not dependent on all the selected parameters, and demonstrated that the selected propeller designs improved aerodynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we determine the trends and weights of the structural parameters on the heat transfer, flow resistance and comprehensive performance of high pressure direction (HPD)‐type perforated fins using Taguchi method and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings underscore the fin height as the most pivotal element affecting comprehensive performance, with its contribution ratio of 42.2%. Ultimately, the highest j‐factor, the lowest f‐factor, and the maximum JF‐factor were obtained as the objective functions, yielding the three most optimal sets of parameters. The findings reveal a remarkable 89.7% reduction in the f‐factor of the optimized HPD‐type perforated fins, accompanied by a substantial 127% augmentation in the JF‐factor compared to the HPD‐type fins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clearance always exists in revolute kinematic joints and spherical joints due to manufacturing, assembly, wear, etc., Proper clearance helps the mechanism operate smoothly. However, the friction inside the joint causes the joint clearance to increase, resulting in mechanical vibrations. These are demonstrated through the analysis of the dynamics of the spatial slider crank mechanism using Rigid dynamics. in ANSYS. To ensure smooth operation of the space slider crank mechanism. It is necessary to select the length of the crank, the revolute and ball joint clearances, the friction coefficient inside the kinematic joint and the crank driving speed. Because these design parameters all affect the slider acceleration and the contact force within revolute and clearance ball joints. To do this, the Grey-Taguchi method is proposed. From the results of the rigid dynamics analysis of the spatial slider crank mechanism, it has been proven that increasing the design variables causes the acceleration and contact force to increase significantly, causing instability for the crank mechanism. space slider. The grey relational analysis -Taguchi optimization results also confirm this. The results of grey relational Analysis-Taguchi method achieved the optimal acceleration of the slider and the optimal contact force in the revolute joint of the space slider crank mechanism being 32.72 m/s2 and 1.3452 kN, respectively. To increase the reliability of this optimization method, decision-making methods with multiple criteria or multiple objectives are also applied, such as the TOPSIS method, the SAW method and the WASPAS method. The results of these methods confirm the same results as the Grey-Taguchi method. The optimal results were chosen the space slider crank mechanism model with crank size, friction coefficient, revolute joint and ball joint clearance sizes and crank driving speed 80 mm, 0.01, 0.1 mm and 800 rpm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focused on the simulation and optimization of packed-bed solar thermal energy storage by using sand as a storage material and hot-water is used as a heat transfer fluid and storage as well. The analysis has been done by using the COMSOL multi-physics software and used to compute an optimization charging time of the storage. Parameters that control this optimization are storage height, storage diameter, heat transfer fluid flow rate, and sand bed particle size. The result of COMSOL multi-physics optimized thermal storage has been validated with Taguchi method. Accordingly, the optimized parameters of storage are: storage height of 1.4 m, storage diameter of 0.4 m, flow rate of 0.02 kg/s, and sand particle size 12 mm. Among these parameters, the storage diameter result is the highest influenced optimized parameter of the thermal storage from the ANOVA analysis. For nominal packed bed thermal storage, the charging time needed to attain about 520 K temperature is more than 3500 s, while it needs only about 2000 s for the optimized storage which is very significant difference. Average charging energy efficiency of the optimized is greater than the nominal and previous concrete-based storage by 13.7%, and 13.1%, respectively in the charging time of 2700 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the Multi-Relaxation Time Lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM) was employed to solve the airflow inside a scaled room model with dimensions of 0.914x0.457x0.305 m. This room model is considered a representative space with a 1:10 scale to an actual room. The selected room is equipped with a ventilation system. For optimizing the inlet and outlet locations of the airflow, 32 different positions in terms of length, width, and height for the inlet and 4 positions for the outlet were considered. The Taguchi method was utilized for optimizing the inlet and outlet locations, reducing the required number of experiments from 128 to 16. To assess the number of suspended particles, 86400 particles with a size of 1µm were injected into the room. Then, the particle behaviors were examined for a total duration of 60 seconds. The obtained results indicate that the location of the air conditioning system significantly influences the concentration of airborne particles responsible for disease transmission. Utilizing the Taguchi optimization method, optimal positions for the inlet and outlet air were determined to minimize the number of suspended particles in the room (the best position) and maximize it (the worst position). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks at how welding intensity, speed, voltage, and stick-out affect the structural and mechanical characteristics of metal inert gas (MIG) welding on SUS 201 stainless steel and C20 steel. The Taguchi method is used to optimize the study's experiment findings. The results show that the welding current has a more significant effect on the tensile test than the welding voltage, stick-out, and welding speed. Welding voltage has the lowest influence. In addition to the base metals' ferrite, pearlite, and austenite phases, the weld bead area contains martensite and bainite microstructures. The optimal parameters for the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength, and elongation values are a 110 amp welding current, 15 V of voltage, a 500 mm.min−1 welding speed, and a 10 mm stick-out. The confirmed UTS, yield strength, and elongation values are 452.78 MPa, 374.65 MPa, and 38.55%, respectively, comparable with the expected value derived using the Taguchi method. In the flexural test, the welding current is the most critical element affecting flexural strength. A welding current of 110 amp, an arc voltage of 15 V, a welding speed of 500 mm.min−1, and a stick-out of 12 mm are the ideal values for flexural strength. The flexural strength, confirmed at 1756.78 MPa, is more than that of the other samples. The study's conclusions can offer more details regarding the dissimilar welding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the dry milling process of a rare-earth-based magnesium alloy, emphasizing the optimization of the milling parameters and their impact on the surface quality, cutting forces, and the rate of material removal. The objective is to improve our comprehension of the milling behavior of the Mg-Gd-Y-Er alloy. The Taguchi technique is adopted to formulate the experimental design. This study methodically investigates the influence of heat treatment (T4 and T6) on milling performance, and the effects of speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The output variables considered for this investigation are the surface roughness (Ra, Rz, Sa, and Sz), material removal rate (MRR), and cutting force. To optimize the milling parameters and achieve superior outcomes, the multi-objective optimization technique TOPSIS is used. At a feed rate of 150 mm/min, a spindle speed of 1500 rpm, and a depth of cut of 1 mm, the T4-treated sample exhibits a minimum surface roughness value of 0.0305 µm. The highest resultant force values of 96.4416 N and 176.1070 N for 200 °C and 225 °C T6-treated alloys are obtained by combining process parameters such as a spindle speed of 1500 rpm, a feed rate of 50 mm/min, and a depth of cut of 1.5 mm. Furthermore, the maximum closeness coefficient value is achieved by combining a spindle speed of 1000 to 1500 rpm, a feed rate of 150 mm/min, and a depth of cut of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. The closeness coefficient value is significantly influenced by the most significant process parameters, as indicated by the ANOVA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinforced PTFE materials can be designed to show high mechanical stability against harder materials under sliding wear conditions. Especially bearing metal-reinforced PTFE is of high practical interest. In this class of materials, bronze-filled PTFE was reported to obtain high wear resistance, a low coefficient of friction (COF), and excellent self-lubrication properties in sliding conditions. In the statistical approach of this work, PTFE composites reinforced with 25 vol%, 40 vol%, and 60 vol% bronze particles were evaluated against pure PTFE regarding wear behavior under varied wear test parameters, i.e., material, normal load, and sliding speed. Wear tests were planned to use a standard orthogonal array based on the Taguchi design method. An analysis of variance test was utilized to quantify the effects of test parameters on the wear behavior of the bronze/PTFE composites and pure PTFE. According to the variance analysis, the material type has the largest influence on the COF and the specific wear rate (SWR) under test conditions of this work. Both COF and SWR were found to be influenced by the material type (29.83% and 96.16%), the normal load (33.34% and 0.95%), and sliding speed (9.14% and 1.28%). The lowest SWR and COF values were achieved at the optimum wear test conditions where the wear test parameters were 1 m/s sliding speed (A4B2C2) at PTFE + 60 vol.% bronze reinforced composite 50 N application load and 0.32 m/s sliding speed (A4B3C1) at PTFE + 60 vol.% bronze reinforced composite 100 N application load, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass-ceramic is difficult to be ultra precision machined due to its high hardness and brittleness. Laser-assisted fast tool servo machining (LAFTSM) of glass-ceramic optical free-form surface was carried out with tool wear as the characteristic value to study the machining quality of glass-ceramic. Orthogonal experiments on LAFTSM were conducted using the Taguchi method (TM). The range of tool wear reduction obtained by comparing laser-assisted machining (LAM) with fast tool servo (FTS) machining is 48.83%–64.12%. The order of contribution of each machining parameter obtained through variance analysis to the reduction of tool wear is: spindle speed > laser power > feed rate > piezoelectric frequency. The optimal combination of machining parameters that can minimize tool wear obtained through signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) analysis is: spindle speed 55 rpm, feed rate 0.01 mm/rev, piezoelectric frequency 8 Hz, laser power 75 W. Artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA) were used to fit and optimize the machining parameters and experimental results in TM orthogonal experiments. The fitting values of ANN are highly consistent with the orthogonal experimental results. The optimal combination of machining parameters obtained after GA optimization analysis is: spindle speed 50 rpm, feed rate 0.015 mm/rev, piezoelectric frequency 4 Hz, laser power 75 W. Experiments were conducted using the optimal combination of machining parameters of TM and ANN, the results showed that ANN performs better than TM in predicting minimum tool wear and optimizing machining parameters. This study provides a reference for LAFTSM and the research methods of tool wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance of Photovoltaic-double skin facade (Photovoltaic-DSF) system in summer has been critical. Owing to high solar ingress, cooling requirement of a building significantly increases. Photovoltaic-DSF system provides a shield and controls the heat gain through fenestration in the interior spaces. In the present article, mathematical correlations are developed for energy characterization of forced-ventilated Photovoltaic-DSF system in India's hot summer zone i.e. Jaipur. The Photovoltaic-DSF system has been installed and monitored for Jaipur's summer months (May to July). L25 Orthogonal array of design parameters (air cavity thickness, air velocity, and PV panel's transparency) and their respective levels have been developed using Taguchi design to perform experiments. Based on experimental results, multiple linear regression has been used to forecast solar heat gain coefficient, PVs electrical power and daylighting illuminance indoors as function of design factors. The statistical significance of mathematical relationships is sorted by variance analysis, which is found to be in good accord with field measurements (R² > 0.90). The proposed correlations are pragmatic in designing Photovoltaic-DSF systems for hot summer conditions. The Photovoltaic-DSF system with 30% transmittance and air velocity of 5 metres per second in 200 mm air cavity thickness achieved maximum energy performance in hot summers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The printed circuit board (PCB) winding coil offers advantages such as small size, high precision, high repeatability, and low cost, making it conducive to the miniaturization of electronic equipment and a popular choice in wireless power transmission systems. This paper aims to clarify the correlation between induction parameters and inductive capabilities using the orthogonal array of the modified Taguchi method for Pedelec applications. The conventional Taguchi method typically achieves only local optimization; however, this paper considers practical application conditions and combines experimental data to establish the initial values of the orthogonal array, thereby achieving global optimization. Additionally, the tuning process of the Taguchi method replaces physical experiments with simulations, enhancing optimization speed and reducing hardware implementation costs. The performance index for the proposed modified Taguchi tuning method is selected as a combination of the quality factor (Q) and coupling coefficient (k) to minimize AC resistance and improve system efficiency. To validate the proposed method, the designed coils were implemented and tested in a WPT system based on S–S compensation with a half-bridge topology. The experimental results demonstrate that the optimized PCB coil parameters derived from the proposed tuning method accurately validate the method's effectiveness and accuracy. From the measured results with the proposed modified tuning method, the system efficiency is increased by 43.87% and the system transmitting power is increased by 28.51%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater desalination is increasing due to the global water crisis, and velocity caps are widely used at intake entrances to protect marine life and facilitate the required flow. Despite various investigations of seawater intake, a lack of precise research on the discharge coefficient of these structures is evident. The discharge characteristics of seawater intake are investigated both analytically and experimentally. Results show that the circle velocity caps have higher capacity than square ones, about 2% to 3.5%. Also, the Froude number of approach flow and the area of the velocity caps are the two parameters with the greatest impact on discharge coefficients. However, the height of caps and the number of separator blades have the least effect. Furthermore, some equations of discharge coefficients are developed based on machine-learning techniques with appropriate accuracy. Additionally, the Taguchi method, evaluated as an economical approach, significantly reduces the number of tests while the accuracy of results decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, mild steel as a substrate was coated by electrodeposition in a bath mixed with nickel sulfate (NiSO4·6H2O), nickel chloride (NiCl4·6H2O), and boric acid (H3BO3) using nanocomposite cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, hBN, and epoxy with hardener. The experiments were designed using the Taguchi method through the L9 orthogonal array to reduce the number of experiments. The input parameters for the design of experiments were taken: the time (min), voltage (V), and the hBN concentration (wt-%). The coated samples were tested for their tribological, corrosion, and adhesion performance using pin-on-disc, electro-impedance spectroscopy, and cross hatch tester, respectively. The tribological results reveal that the coated sample of 3 wt-% hBN concentration at 3 mV voltage and 30-minute deposition time shows the lowest friction coefficient (∼0.42) among all the samples, indicating its superior wear resistance and corrosion resistance. Further, the same sample also outperformed the others, demonstrating the high adhesion (adhesion scale of 5 B) of coating with the substrate. Moreover, the surface was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared, goniometer, and scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term " Friction stir welding," abbreviated as "FSW," refers to a cutting-edge technology that has found widespread application in the metallurgical sector. In this piece of work, a complete discussion is presented on the most recent developments in the numerical analysis of FSW. These developments cover subjects like welding processes, and they are the subject of the discussion. In particular, the findings of this research lay a solid groundwork for future research into the phenomena that lie behind each of the three sub problems that are associated with FSW. Specifically, fully coupled thermo-mechanical models are used to study how different tool shapes influence the temperature distributions and material deformations that occur during (FSW). In addition to shedding light on various critical weld production methods, the results of the study also provide crucial insight into the mechanisms that are behind the construction of the FSW of steel, titanium, and other difficult materials. Nowadays, many techniques, such as computational solid mechanics (CSM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodologies, have been used to characterise FSW principles and model heat generation. Simulation of material flow has also been studied with regrard to numerical modelling approach. The results that have been summarised to understand the sophisticated numerical analytic techniques for FSW of a variety of different materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of four major process variables viz. laser power, scanning speed, hatch distance and powder bed thickness on the densification behavior of Inconel 718 (IN718), with a view to obtain defect free builds during laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process. In order to determine the causes of defect generation, samples with different process variables were printed and examined microstructurally. Samples printed as per Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array have exhibited different types of microscopic defects such as porosity, lack of fusion (LOF) and cracks. Based on detailed study, the optimized process parameters for obtaining defect free IN718 builds were found to be with a laser power of 320 W at a scanning speed of 850 mm/s and a hatch distance of 0.11 mm. LOF and un-melted tracks have formed at low volume energy density (VED) while porosity was found at high VED values. Cracks are most evident in XZ plane, and the formation of such cracks is high at high laser power and scanning speed. Although VED represents the energy input to the process, it should no longer be considered a process parameter, as multiple combinations of input process variables with different performance characteristics can result in the same value. This aspect has been demonstrated in this paper with experimental data. A Modified Taguchi's approach has been followed in this study to develop empirical relationships to the performance characteristics (density), in terms of process variables and demonstrated their validity through comparison of test data. The method suggests few tests as per the orthogonal array and provides complete information for all combinations of levels and process variables. This method also provides the estimated range of output responses so that the scatter in the repeated tests can be assessed prior to the tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, parameters that effectively contribute to glass surface degradation from sandblasting erosion processes are investigated and optimized on the basis of the method of Taguchi. The polystyrene glass used in this work has been eroded taking into account the projected sand mass, the particles' grain size and the velocity as the main influencing parameters by looking at specimens' surface roughness (SR) and optical transmission (OT). Taguchi's Design L9 orthogonal array of experiments has been implemented in order to obtaining the best combination among these parameters. The significant parameters affecting the responses have been determined on the basis of variance analysis. These have revealed that the particles' size and velocity are the most effective parameters on the responses OT and SR of the degraded surface with 92 and 56% contribution, respectively. These optimized influential parameters' combinations have revealed severe eroding processes occurring to the polystyrene glass surface as confirmed by the optical micrographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to optimize a set of technological parameters (travel speed, extruder temperature, and extrusion rate) for 3D printing with a PEEK-based composite reinforced with 30 wt.% glass fibers (GFs). For this purpose, both Taguchi and finite element methods (FEM) were utilized. The artificial neural networks (ANNs) were implemented for computer simulation of full-scale experiments. Computed tomography of the additively manufactured (AM) samples showed that the optimal 3D printing parameters were the extruder temperature of 460 °C, the travel speed of 20 mm/min, and the extrusion rate of 4 rpm (the microextruder screw rotation speed). These values correlated well with those obtained by computer simulation using the ANNs. In such cases, the homogeneous micro- and macro-structures were formed with minimal sample distortions and porosity levels within 10 vol.% of both structures. The most likely reason for porosity was the expansion of the molten polymer when it had been squeezed out from the microextruder nozzle. It was concluded that the mechanical properties of such samples can be improved both by changing the 3D printing strategy to ensure the preferential orientation of GFs along the building direction and by reducing porosity via post-printing treatment or ultrasonic compaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contact impact stress (CIS) between a manipulator finger and a fragile workpiece has a significant effect on clamping stability. The CIS is affected by various factors, for example, the structural form and parameters of the manipulator finger. In this paper, an optimization method combining Taguchi's method with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) theory is proposed to reduce the CIS by optimizing the structural form and parameters of the fingers of an internally supported manipulator. The process consists of three stages. In the first stage, finite element models are built using SolidWorks, HyperMesh, and LS-DYNA software to simulate the CIS of the manipulator when gripping fragile workpieces. In the second stage, the SNR theory is applied to evaluate the effect of CIS and its fluctuations on CIS by treating the CIS and its fluctuations as signals, and changes in the structural forms and parameters of the fingers as noise. In the third stage, the optimal combination corresponding to the maximum SNR is obtained, and the degree of influence and significance level of each factor on the impact force was obtained by calculating the SNR response and variance. The simulation results indicate that the optimized structural parameters reduce the CIS by 26.85% compared to the original design. The experimental results verify the correctness of the simulation results and the effectiveness of the proposed method in reducing CIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the rise of opportunistic infections and their resistance to current antifungal drugs has led to the inevitable need to produce effective antimicrobials at a reasonable cost. This study aimed at producing a calcium carbonate/cobalt oxide nanocomposite with the most excellent antifungal activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans). Thus, nine experimental designs using the Taguchi technique were utilized to discover the greatest combination of parameters for antifungal activity. The colony‐forming unit (CFU) method was used to test the produced nanocomposites' antifungal properties against C. albicans. The results indicated that the synthesized nanocomposite in optimal conditions (20 mg/mL of calcium carbonate, 3 mg/mL of cobalt oxide, and 90 min of stirring time) could inhibit the growth of C. albicans by more than 74%. Various analyses were applied to determine the structural properties of the calcium carbonate/cobalt oxide nanocomposite, and its constituents revealed the fabricated nanocomposite's desirable properties. In the study, the nanocomposite was an efficient antifungal agent that might be employed in various fields, including medicine, dentistry, and life sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe current investigation examines the wear performance of High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel coated Colmonoy-88 coating on SS 304. An L9 orthogonal array design based on the Taguchi fractional factorial method was used to create the erosive wear tests. The impact of three parameters, such as impact velocity (100, 120, and 140 m/s), angle of impact (30°, 60°, and 90°), and test duration (10, 15 and 20 min), on wear performance was investigated by analysis of variance. Results show that the impact angle is the most vital factor for mass loss in both SS 304 and Colmonoy-88, followed by impact velocity and time duration. It was revealed that the maximum wear takes place at 30° impact angle in both specimens. The outcomes of the XRD and EDS analysis show that the Colmonoy-88 has a high chromium content, which provides it with exceptional erosion resistance. The Colmonoy-88 wear mechanism involved inter-splat micro-cutting, lips, crack initiations, and craters caused by fly ash particles at varying impact angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored using ultrafiltration (UF) membranes to treat pulp and paper mill wastewater, implementing a novel Taguchi experimental design to optimize operating conditions for pollutant removal and minimal membrane fouling. Researchers examined four factors: pH, temperature, transmembrane pressure, and volume reduction factor (VRF), each at three levels. Optimal conditions (pH 10, 25°C, 6 bar, VRF 3) led to a 35% reduction in flux due to fouling and high pollutant rejections: total hardness (83%), sulfate (97%), spectral absorption coefficient (SAC254) (95%), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (89%). Conductivity had a lower rejection rate of 50%. Advanced imaging techniques like atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed reduced membrane fouling under these conditions. The Taguchi method effectively identified optimal conditions, significantly improving wastewater treatment efficiency and promoting environmental sustainability in the pulp and paper industry. Practitioner Points: This study optimized UF membrane conditions for pulp and paper mill wastewater, reducing fouling and enhancing pollutant removal, offering practical strategies for industrial treatment.AFM and SEM provided key insights into membrane fouling and mitigation, promoting real‐time diagnosis and optimization for enhanced treatment efficiency.Prioritizing anaerobic fixed‐bed systems in wastewater treatment is beneficial for achieving high COD removal efficiency. Optimizing hydraulic retention time (HRT) in these systems can further improve their overall effectiveness and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) serves as a critical component in medical equipment. Given the exacting standards demanded by medical equipment products, manufacturers face pressure to improve their product quality. The electrical characteristics of these products are based on the resistance value of the DRAM components. Hence, the purpose of this study is to optimize the resistance value of DRAM components in medical equipment. We proposed a novel FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework that integrates failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), the two-stage Taguchi method (TSTM), neural networks (NN), and genetic algorithms (GA) to optimize the manufacturing process. Moreover, the proposed FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework achieved a substantial reduction in experimental trials, cutting the required number by a factor of 85.3 when compared to the grid search method. Our framework successfully identified optimal manufacturing condition settings for the resistance values of DRAM components: Depo time = 27 s, Depo O2 flow = 151 sccm, ARC-LTO etch time = 43 s, ARC-LTO etch pressure = 97 mTorr, Ox-SiCO etch time = 91 s, Ox-SiCO gas ratio = 22%, and Polish time = 84 s. The results helped the case company improve the resistance value of DRAM components from 191.1 × 10−3 Ohm to 176.84 × 10−3 Ohm, which is closer to the target value of 176.5 × 10−3 Ohm. The proposed FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework is designed to operate efficiently on resource-constrained, facilitating real-time adjustments to production attributes. This capability enables DRAM manufacturers to swiftly optimize product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed paper uses Taguchi design of experiments and topology optimization to design a low throat angle and lightweight structure of an open gap (C-frame) stamping press. First, finite element analysis was used for discussing the effects of frame structure deformation by various parameters, such as upper round corner (R1), eccentric distance of upper round corner (L1), throat depth (K), lower round corner of throat (R2), and eccentric distance of lower round corner of throat (L2). With throat angle as the quality objective, we conducted single-objective optimization using Taguchi's smaller-the-better formula. The optimal values of the quality objectives were as follows: R1 was 60 mm, L1 was 30 mm, L2 was 340 mm, and R2 was 48 mm, the resulting throat angle of which was 0°1′18.99″. The throat angle resulting from this parameter combination in the static analysis with 44% force area was 0°1′18.50″. The weight of the frame was approximately 5971 kg. We also confirmed the influence of the four process parameters on the quality objectives and their mathematical relationships using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. Next, LSM (level set method) topology optimization was used to create an optimized structure. The analysis of the optimized structure using LSM showed that the deformation with 100% force area increased by 2.6%. However, the throat angle decreased by 0°0′0.78″, and the mass of the machine dropped by 444 kg. The proposed paper shows the process of using a combination of optimization methodologies to create an optimal structure, and the results show that the proposed methodology can improve not only throat angle but also structure weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, optimization of louver fin geometries is performed to obtain better thermal hydraulic performance of multilouvered microchannel heat exchanger by CFD method. Five louver fin geometries are considered in this work namely fin pitch, fin height, louver pitch, louver angle and louver length. The air side performance is analyzed with the help of airside heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. These parameters are determined using Colburn-j factor and f factor for Reynolds numbers range of 100–600. In this work, two factors are studied for the effect of individual and combined louver fin geometries. It is observed from the literature study that increase in Reynold number, increases the Colburn-j factor and hence increases the rate of heat transfer favorably. At the same time, increase in Reynold number, increase f factor in term increase the pressure drop which is not desirable. Hence, it is challenging to increase the heat transfer without increase the pressure drop characteristics for heat exchanger design. So, aim of this work is to maximize the heat transfer and minimize the pressure drop. To account for these two contradicting objectives, dimensionless number (JF factor) is considered to determine the thermal hydraulic performance for the heat exchanger and it accounts both Colburn-j factor and f factor simultaneously. Orthogonal array-based Taguchi analysis is performed to obtain optimized louver fin geometries. Taguchi-CFD analysis revealed that fin pitch is the most influencing parameter, that alone accounts for 94.33% of contribution ratio on JF factor. Taguchi-confirmation test showed that the enhancement of JF factor for optimal louver fin is 5.97% higher than that of the initial design parameter. Finally, CFD analysis is performed to compare the performance of optimal louver fin geometry with that of the default louver fin geometry. From this analysis, Colburn-j and JF factor of optimum fin geometry are found to be 24.42% and 18.23% higher than those of default fin geometry. Regression models are developed for optimum fin geometry to predict the Colburn-j, f and JF factor for the Reynolds numbers range of 100–850, whose adj. R2 value is 99.05%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated on aluminium alloy plates with two different experimental procedures using the dip coating method. Each procedure was optimised using the Taguchi design to evaluate the significance of factors such as SiC abrasive paper number, etching time, and chemical modification time. By determining three levels for these factors, the L9 orthogonal array was formed. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements determined the wettability of the surfaces against the water. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to assess the general appearance and roughness of the surfaces. The coating thickness of the surfaces was also measured. For both experimental procedures, the most effective parameter in providing superhydrophobic coatings on the surfaces was determined as the etching time. SEM analyses demonstrated the roughness created by the clustered and protruding structures formed on the surface after the coating. The WCAs above 150° indicate that superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a type of additive manufacturing technology that offers high flexibility in shaping products and is cost-effective due to its low material consumption and rapid time to market. Material consumption can be evaluated by assessing deposition efficiency during welding. The efficiency of a deposited metal depends on various processes and welding parameters, including travel speed, wire feed rate, voltage, distance of the torch from the base, and many others. Therefore, process capability can be efficiently achieved by crucially determining the key parameters that have the most significant effect. In this study, the main objective is to determine the most significant parameters to obtain the optimum deposition efficiency of a gas metal arc welding-based 3D welding machine. The Taguchi experimental design method is used to determine the optimal welding parameters. Results showed that the distance of the torch from the base is the most significant parameter, followed by welding speed and wire feed rate. The observation is validated via a confirmation test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid consumption of fossil fuels has led to calls to switch from non-renewable to renewable energy sources. Microbial fuel cells are a promising technology that simultaneously treats wastewater and produces power. This study used the Taguchi Experimental method to optimize anode thickness and pH to obtain the maximum power density of an air-cathode microbial fuel cell (ACMFC). The graphene-sponge (G-S) anode thickness and chamber pH were selected as operating parameters, with their corresponding levels. The L9 orthogonal array was chosen for the experimental design. According to the Taguchi Method, the optimum G-S anode thickness and chamber pH were determined to be 1.0 cm and 8.0, respectively. A confirmatory run was performed under these optimum conditions, and the maximum power density observed was 707.75 mW·m-3. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to identify the percentage contributions of the operating parameters to the process, which were found to be 30.66% for pH and 69.34% for anode thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical and impact performance of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) and Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) dispersed Carbon/Basalt Fiber-reinforced Polymer (CBFRP) intra-ply hybrid composites were examined. The MWCNT and GNP dispersed CBFRP nanocomposites were fabricated by Vacuum-assisted Resin Infusion Molding (VARIM) method. The mechanical properties such as modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, impact characteristics such as maximum contact force and maximum absorbed energy were measured for fabricated composite materials. The fiber content ratios (35%, 40%, and 45%) of MWCNT (0, 0.25, and 0.5) and GNP nanoparticles (0, 0.25, and 0.5) were considered as the analysis parameters in three levels. The experiments were conducted using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array. Taguchi's DOE, and the S/N ratio results were applied to determine the optimum level and to identify the most significant parameters affecting the mechanical and impact characteristics of MWCNT and GNP-introduced CBFRP nanocomposites. According to the results, increasing the fiber content ratio (FCR) and the nanoparticles percentage improved the mechanical and impact properties of the fabricated composites. Furthermore, the FCR parameter had a better contribution than the two others and was the most effective on the analysis responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Chongqing University of Technology (Natural Science) is the property of Chongqing University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nowadays, computational and computing tools are widely used in prediction applications. Neural computing is a modern and emerging technique to predict data efficiently and precisely. In this context, erosion investigation of Mo2C–WC10Co4Cr high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) deposited on AISI 316L was carried out in the present work by implementing a neural computing and Taguchi's method. This research paper focuses on neural network (NN) technique for the prediction of erosion in Mo2C–WC10Co4Cr HVOF coating. The WC10Co4Cr powder was composed of 3% (by weight) of molybdenum carbide, each with a concentration of 3 wt.%. The input parameters used for designing the NN model were erodent properties (bulk density, circularity factor, average particle size, and slurry concentration), material properties (hardness and porosity of bare/coated), and process parameters (speed and time). A set of experiments was optimised by using Taguchi's method (L16 2 × 5 array). Results indicated that the overall accuracy of Pearson coefficient (R) was found as 0.99582 with experimental data. However, R = 1 was found for testing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry sliding wear tests on Cu-Al-Mn Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) were performed in this study. The alloy was synthesised with the amount of manganese content varied as 5, 7, and 9 wt.% and the amount of aluminium was kept constant at 10.5 wt.% with the remaining copper. Dry sliding wear tests were carried out at different conditions of sliding speeds, sliding distances, and various load conditions. Experiments were carried out using Taguchi's technique to obtain an experimental design. The data were analysed using an L27 orthogonal array. The wear rate (WR) and coefficient of friction (COF) were evaluated using the 'smaller is better' method approach. The main parameters affecting WR and COF were determined using ANOVA. The effects of applied load, sliding speed, sliding distance, and material on WR and COF are determined. The optimum combinations of parameters were set to achieve the lowest wear rate and highest COF. Finally, confirmation tests were conducted to ensure that the experimental results were accurate. After the wear test, the sample texture was observed and analysed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the topic of reducing drag force acting on aircraft wings by incorporating novel winglet designs, such as multi-tip, bird-type, and twisted. The high-speed NASA common research model (CRM) was selected as the baseline model, and winglet designs were retrofitted while keeping the projected wingspan constant. Computational analysis was performed using RANS coupled with the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model to determine aerodynamic coefficients, such as CL and CD. It was observed that the multi-tip and bird-type designs performed exceptionally well at a low angle of attack (0°). A parametric study was conducted on multi-tip winglets by tweaking the parameters such as sweep angle (Λ), tip twist (Є), taper ratio (λ), and cant angle (Φ). The best combination of parameters for optimal aerodynamic performance while maintaining the wing root bending moment was determined using both the Taguchi method and Taguchi-based grey relational analysis (T-GRA) coupled with principal component analysis (PCA). Also, the percentage contribution of each parameter was determined by using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. At the design point, the optimized winglet design outperformed the baseline design by 18.29% in the Taguchi method and by 20.77% in the T-GRA coupled with the PCA method based on aerodynamic efficiency and wing root bending moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compliant mechanism work based on the elasticity of material, dimension of the compliant mechanisms and the shape of flexure hinge. In order to larger workspace, most published works use theoretical models to determine the displacement amplification of the mechanical systems, which is very difficult to do. A simpler method that can still achieve efficiency while designing a mechanism with high displacement gain and low stress that ensures a stable working structure is to use combined grey relational analysis Taguchi method is based on the results of finite element analysis in ANSYS. To do this, first select the design variables for the symmetric differential lever displacement amplifier model. Next step, use Minitab software to design 27 cases. Then use SolidWorks to design 27 models of symmetrical differential displacement amplifier. Next to finite element analysis in ANSYS to obtain displacements and stresses of the symmetrical differential lever compliant mechanism with circular flexure hinge. The results obtained from the finite element model are used for optimization by grey relationship analysis combined with the Taguchi method. The FEM results indicated that the designed variables significantly affected on the displacement and stress of the symmetrical differential lever displacement magnification compliant mechanism. The problem was also confirmed by grey relational analysis with Taguchi method. The predicted and optimal values of the displacement were 0.11276 mm and 0.1179 mm, with error of 4.36%. The input displacement was 0.01 mm, while the displacement magnification ratio was 11.79 times. The results verified by decision-making criteria: TOPSIS method, MOORA method and EDAS method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FME Transactions is the property of University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study examines the effects of stick-out, welding current, welding speed, and voltage on the mechanical characteristics and microstructure of MIG welding on SUS 304 stainless steel and S20C steel. The Taguchi method was used to maximize the experiment's outcomes. Fine columnar dendrites formed at fusion sites, and δ-ferrite phases with dark lines and shapes accumulated between the fusion line and the austenite phases. A welding current of 110 A, voltage of 15 V, welding speed of 500 mm/min, and stick-out of 12 mm were the optimal settings for the ultimate tensile strength (UTS). The UTS value confirmation was 469.4 MPa, which agrees with the estimated value determined using the Taguchi technique. The tensile test revealed that welding current had a far greater impact on mechanical qualities than welding voltage, speed, and stick-out distance. The ideal welding parameters for flexural strength were as follows: stick-out of 12 mm, arc voltage of 15 V, welding speed of 450 mm/min, and welding current of 110 amp. The Taguchi method is useful, as evidenced by the validation of the flexure strength of 1937.45 MPa, which is much greater than the other samples. The impact of the thermal annealing process on the mechanical characteristics of the dissimilar weld joints could be the subject of future research. The investigation results may offer more insightful information about the dissimilar welding field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the issue of poor air quality and thermal comfort in rural outdoor toilets by proposing a ventilation system powered by a building-applied photovoltaic (BAPV) roof. A numerical model is established and validated through comparison with the literature and experimental data. Based on a consensus, four influential variables, namely, inlet position, outlet height, supply air temperature, and ventilation rate, are selected for optimization to achieve multiple objectives: reduction in ammonia concentration, a predicted mean vote (PMV) value of 0, minimization of age of air, and energy consumption. The present study represents a pioneering effort in integrating the Taguchi method, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and grey relational analysis to concurrently optimize the influential variables for outdoor toilet ventilation systems through design and simulation. The results indicate that all four variables exhibit nearly equal importance. Ventilation rate demonstrates a dominant effect on ammonia concentration and significantly impacts the age of air and energy consumption, while supply air temperature noticeably influences PMV. The optimal scheme features an inlet at center top position, an outlet height of 0.2 m, a supply air temperature of 12 °C and a ventilation rate of 20 times/h. This scheme improves ammonia concentration by 18.9%, PMV by 6.8%, and age of air by 30.0% at a height of 0.5 m, while achieving respective improvements by 18.9%, 5.5%, and 22.2% at a height of 1.5 m. The BAPV roof system generates an annual electricity output of 582.02 kWh, which covers the energy consumption of 358.1 kWh for toilet ventilation, achieving self-sufficiency. This study aims to develop a zero-carbon solution for outdoor toilets that provides a safe, comfortable, and sanitary environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a recently developed fabrication technology that allows the development of stronger and lighter components. The aim of this research is to study and examine the influence of various process parameters of masked stereolithography (MSLA) apparatus, namely, exposure time, intensity, and rest time on the tensile strength. The Taguchi design of experiments, L9 orthogonal array, was employed to determine the optimal conditions for printing the RESIONE M58 resin samples. Moreover, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to obtain the significance of each parameter of MSLA process on the strength of the samples. According to the experimental results obtained from Taguchi method, the exposure time of 35 to 1.5 s, intensity of 80%, and rest time of 0.5 s were the best conditions for enhancement of the strength of resin. Exposure time was detected as the main factor that can control the tensile strength of 3D-printed samples with the highest significance of ~ 66%. It should be mentioned that the significance of errors or unconsidered items was found around 29%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]