Minimization of casting defects using Taguchi method

Obtaining quality castings is of significant interest to researchers and practitioner due to the widespread use of casting components in everyday and industrial use. In this work, Taguchi method is used to optimize the process parameters involved in casting. Three casting parameters, namely pouring temperature (°C), sand particle size (AFS), and mould hardness (No), are considered. The percentage defect in the casting components is considered as the response. A L9 orthogonal array is used for design of experiments for carrying out the casting experiments. Based on the S/N ratio analysis and ANOVA, it is seen that the sand particle size has the most contribution to the linear model. Further, it is found that the level-wise optimal combination of the casting process parameters for minimizing the defects is Level 3 for pouring temperature, Level 2 for sand particle size, and Level 3 for mould hardness.