Optimization of stir casting parameters for the tensile behavior of nano Al2O3 and ZrO2 reinforced Al-Mg-Si alloy metal composites

Stir casting is a frequently used method in the metallurgical process of casting aluminium composites. The microstructure and performance of the composites are influenced by the stir casting parameters. The majority of research conducted in this area focused on producing composites using predetermined stir casting parameters without utilizing an optimization method. This work aims to optimize the stir casting parameters for the manufacturing of Al-Mg-Si (Al6061) alloy reinforced with hybrid nano Al₂O₃ and nano ZrO₂ to enhance its performance. The Taguchi optimization technique was employed to analyze the important effects of stir casting parameters on the ultimate tensile strength of a hybrid metal matrix composite. The composites were produced by the ultrasonic-aided stir casting method, employing a set of process parameters determined by the Taguchi L₁₆ orthogonal array. The S/N (Signal to Noise ratio) and Regression model were utilized to determine the optimal values and assess the influence of process parameters on the tensile qualities. The Minitab 21 software was utilized to perform simultaneous optimization of the attributes. The findings indicated that the composition of the nano reinforcement, stirring temperature, stirring speed, and stirring time all had a substantial impact on improving the UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength) of the material.