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Optimization of activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) welding of super duplex

alloy 2507 based on experimental results,

Article  in  Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part B Journal of Engineering Manufacture · June 2014
DOI: 10.1177/0954405414537245

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Original Article

Proc IMechE Part L:

J Materials: Design and Applications
Optimization of A-TIG welding of 0(0) 1–10
! IMechE 2015
duplex stainless steel alloy 2205 based Reprints and permissions:
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on response surface methodology DOI: 10.1177/1464420715585878

pil.sagepub.com

and experimental validation

Nanda Naik Korra1, M Vasudevan2 and KR Balasubramanian1

Abstract
In the present work, optimum A-TIG welding process parameters have been determined using the design of experiments
approach to achieve the desired depth of penetration (DOP) during welding of duplex stainless steel (DSS) alloy 2205.
The design matrix for welding experiments was generated using the central composite design of response surface
methodology. Bead-on-plate welds were made on 10 mm thick DSS alloy 2205 plates to generate data and to study
the influence of process parameters on DOP. ANOVA analysis was carried out to determine the significance of the
process parameters. Current was found to be a significant parameter influencing DOP. A second-order response surface
model was developed to predict the response for the set of given input process parameters. Then, numerical and
graphical optimization was performed to obtain the maximum DOP using desirability approach. Validation of the model
showed good agreement between the predicted and actual values of DOP.

Keywords
A-Tungsten inert gas welding, response surface methodology, optimization, process parameters, duplex stainless steel,
desired depth of penetration, bead width, desirability approach

Date received: 3 September 2014; accepted: 16 April 2015

Introduction
technique involves the use of activating flux or acti-
Duplex stainless steel (DSS) alloy 2205 is a class of vating tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) welding which
stainless steel having two phase microstructure con- offers the potential to overcome the limitations of
sisting of approximately equal amounts of d-ferrite the conventional TIG process.3–6 The design of
and -austenite. This equal amount of microstructure experiments (DOE) is a statistical technique, which
offers favorable mechanical properties and corrosion is used for designing the experiments within a
resistance. The two phase microstructure ensures restricted number of trials and to optimize the process
higher resistance to pitting and stress corrosion crack- parameters to attain the required response.7–9
ing when compared to common stainless steels. Owing Chern et al.10 have studied the characteristics of
to its superior mechanical and corrosion properties, the DSS alloy 2205 using A-TIG welding process.
DSS is used as structural material in different indus- They found that the A-TIG welding process increased
trial sectors like chemical, petrochemical, nuclear, fer- the joint penetration and weld depth-to-width ratio
tilizer, food processing, offshore construction, power and also reduced the angular distortion. They
generation, pulp and paper, desalination, and oil reported that by physically constricting the plasma
and gas.1,2 column and reducing the anode root, the weld depth
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is one of the increased and bead width decreased. Tseng and Hsu11
most important technologies for welding thin, as
well as thick materials of DSS in various manufactur- 1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of
ing industries, as it produces clean, precise, and high- Technology, Tamil Nadu, India
2
quality welds. However, the major disadvantage of Materials Technology Division, Metallurgy and Materials Group, Indira
the TIG process is the limitation on the thickness of Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Tamil Nadu, India
the material that can be welded in a single pass (lim-
Corresponding author:
ited to 3 mm). Therefore, it is essential to enhance the KR Balasubramanian, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National
depth of penetration (DOP) achievable in single pass Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620 015, Tamil Nadu, India.
TIG welding and also the productivity. The improved Email: krbala@nitt.edu
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2 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

have performed the A-TIG welding experiments on which a response of significance is influenced by a
6 mm thick 316L stainless steel plates to investigate number of process parameters and the objective is
the effect of MnO2, TiO2, MoO3, SiO2, and Al2O3 to optimize the response.7 The major objective of
oxide fluxes on the weld morphology, angular distor- RSM is to estimate the input process parameters at
tion, d-ferrite content and hardness. They reported which the responses achieve their optimum. RSM is
that the centripetal Marangoni convection and con- the most important technique that can give significant
stricted arc plasma increased the DOP of A-TIG information about the interaction effects between the
welds of 316L stainless steel plates. Benyounis process parameters. It also gives the required infor-
et al.12 have applied RSM to optimize the laser mation for design, process optimization and multiple
welded butt joint of medium carbon steel parameters responses for various manufacturing processes.19–21
using desirability approach. Giridharan and In this research work, RSM was used to generate
Murugan13 have optimized the parameters of pulsed the mathematical relation between the output
gas tungsten arc welding process using RSM. Zhang response ‘‘Y’’ and the different process parameters
and Liu14 have established a mathematical relation- of the A-TIG welding of DSS alloy 2205. The depend-
ship between tensile strength and welding parameters ent variable Y is considered as a function of independ-
to determine the tensile strength of underwater fric- ently controllable welding process parameters such as
tion stir welding process using RSM. Razal Rose welding current, torch speed, and arc gap and can be
et al.15 have optimized the pulsed current TIG weld- expressed as
ing process parameters to predict the maximum ten-
sile strength using RSM. Juang and Tarng16 have Y ¼ f ðx1 , x2 , . . . , xk Þ ð1Þ
optimized the weld pool geometry of TIG welding
of stainless steel using modified Taguchi method. where xk is the variable factor. In the common appli-
Korra et al.17 have performed A-TIG welding cations of RSM to optimize the response ‘‘Y’’, a
response optimization using the desirability approach regression model is developed. The second-order poly-
for obtaining the maximum DOP of super duplex nomial equation can be given as
stainless steel alloy 2507. Huang18 studied the effect
of activating flux and parameters of the weld bead X
k X
k k1 X
X k

profile of gas metal arc welding using Taguchi Y ¼ b0 þ bi xi þ bii x2i þ bij xi xj ð2Þ
i¼1 i¼1 i¼1 j¼2
method.
Optimization of parameters to achieve the desired
weld bead during A-TIG welding is important and where b0 is the average of responses and bi, bii, and bij
there is a lack of literature related to optimization are the coefficients which depend on respective main
studies. In this research work, the optimization of and interaction effects of the parameters.
A-TIG welding of DSS alloy was carried out using The number of experiments conducted in the pre-
RSM. The analysis was carried out to study the influ- sent case was 34 and the number of welding process
ence of A-TIG welding parameters on the DOP in parameters considered was three. The design matrix
10 mm thick DSS alloy plates and to predict the opti- was developed as per rotatable central composite
mum welding conditions using the desirability design of RSM. Three factors were varied at five
approach for achieving maximum DOP in single levels, resulting in two replicates of factorial points,
pass welding. The parameters identified will be very two replicates of axial (star) points, and six center
useful for the manufacturing industries. points.

Response surface methodology Experimental procedure

Response surface methodology (RSM) is the vital A-TIG welding process input parameters which influ-
technique of the design of experiment (DOE) used ence the weld bead geometry were identified from the
to establish the relationship between the controllable literature.16,17 Table 1 shows the chemical compos-
input welding process parameters and the desired ition of DSS alloy 2205.
responses. RSM is very important for optimization The DSS alloy 2205 plate of size 200 
and analysis of the industry-related problems in 112  10 mm3 was cut and surface of the plate was

Table 1. Chemical composition of duplex stainless steel alloy 2205.

Elements C Si Mn S P Cr Ni

% by weight 0.018 0.512 1.256 0.005 0.029 22.856 5.152

Elements Mo Cu Co Ti V Fe –
% by weight 3.169 0.362 0.086 0.009 0.019 66.32 –
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Korra et al. 3

cleaned with silicon carbide paper to remove dirt and locations from the beginning of the weld. The samples
cleaned with acetone prior to the experimental work. were polished with silicon carbide emery papers and
The multi-component specific activated flux devel- etched using an electrolytic etching with 25% KOH,
oped at IGCAR, India was used in the present 75% distilled water at 5 V for 60 to 90 s to view the
study.6 The flux in the powder form was kept in the macrostructure of the weld samples. The DOP was
oven for about an hour to remove moisture from the measured using a microscope, which has the attach-
flux and made into a paste by adding acetone. ment of the digital readout counter, and was used to
The flux paste was applied on the surface of the measure both x- and y-axis. The data (DOP) were
DSS plates with the help of a paint brush as a thin collected at two locations for each trial parameter
coating prior to the welding. Figure 1 shows a sche- combination and the average value was taken to min-
matic diagram of flux preparation and coating on the imize the measurement and human error. The input
typical plate. A-TIG bead-on-plate welds were made process parameters and measured response were fed
on DSS plates in a single pass. A 2% thoriated tung- into the design expert v7 software for statistical ana-
sten electrode of diameter 3.2 mm with 60 tip angle lysis. Figure 2 shows the top surface of typical bead
and argon as shielding gas with a flow rate of on plate welds. Figure 3 shows the cross section of
10 L/min was used. The experiments were performed typical weld bead profiles. Table 2 shows process con-
as per the design matrix to study the effect of A-TIG trol variables in coded and actual values. The ranges
welding process parameters on the DOP. In order to and levels of control variables are fixed based on the
measure the DOP, the 34 welded samples were cross specification of welding machine, thickness of the
sectioned in the transverse direction of welding at two material, preliminary experimental trials, and

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of flux preparation and coating on the DSS alloy 2205.

Figure 2. The top surface of typical bead on plate welds.

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Figure 3. Cross section of typical weld bead profiles.

Table 2. Process control variables and their levels.

Levels

Process parameters Notation Unit 1.682 1 0 1 1.682

Welding current C A 100 141 200 259 300

Torch speed T mm/min 60 72 90 108 120
Arc gap A mm 1 1.8 3 4.2 5

Table 3. Design matrix and experimental results. Table 3. Continued

Process parameters Response Process parameters Response

Current Torch speed Arc gap DOP Current Torch speed Arc gap DOP
Std Run (A) (mm/min) (mm) (mm) Std Run (A) (mm/min) (mm) (mm)

3 1 259 72 1.8 7.68 1 30 141 72 1.8 4.42

6 2 141 108 1.8 3.93 10 31 141 72 4.2 3.78
2 3 141 72 1.8 4.27 11 32 259 72 4.2 7.42
31 4 200 90 3 5.53 14 33 141 108 4.2 2.8
12 5 259 72 4.2 7.86 13 34 141 108 4.2 2.92
17 6 100 90 3 2.55 DOP: depth of penetration.
16 7 259 108 4.2 5.98
18 8 100 90 3 2.52
20 9 300 90 3 7.85 available literature. Table 3 shows an experimental
23 10 200 120 3 4.72 design matrix with the measured responses.
19 11 300 90 3 7.95
26 12 200 90 1 5.87 Results and discussion
33 13 200 90 3 5.36
Design expert v7 software was used for the statistical
29 14 200 90 3 5.44 analysis of A-TIG welding of DSS alloy 2205 process
7 15 259 108 1.8 6.96 parameters. The RSM was used to develop mathem-
30 16 200 90 3 5.65 atical relationships between the welding process par-
24 17 200 120 3 4.85 ameters such as current, torch speed and arc gap and
32 18 200 90 3 5.35 the response DOP for predicting the desired optimum
27 19 200 90 5 4.68 DOP. The independent variables were analyzed as a
9 20 141 72 4.2 3.79 surface to which the mathematical model was fitted.
21 21 200 60 3 6.87 A second-order polynomial equation was generated to
5 22 141 108 1.8 3.95 represent the response surface ‘‘Y’’ that was fitted to
34 23 200 90 3 5.67
the data which is given by
15 24 259 108 4.2 5.89
Y ¼ b0 þ b1 x1 þ b2 x2 þ b3 x3 þ b11 x12 þ b22 x22
4 25 259 72 1.8 7.52
8 26 259 108 1.8 6.81 þ b33 x32 þ b12 x1 x2 þ b13 x1 x3 þ b23 x2 x3 ð3Þ
25 27 200 90 1 5.98 where b0 is the average of responses, b1, b2, b3 are the
28 28 200 90 5 4.78 coefficients corresponding to main effects, b11, b22, b33
22 29 200 60 3 6.42 corresponding to quadratic terms, and b12, b13, b23
(continued) corresponding to interaction effects of the parameters.
The adequacy of the model was tested using the
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Korra et al. 5

Table 4. ANOVA analysis of the depth of penetration.

Source Sum of squares df Mean square F-Value p-Value Prob > F Contribution percentage

Model 83.4313 9 9.27014 427.56 <0.0001 Significant

Current (C) 71.8595 1 71.8595 3314.32 <0.0001 83.88
Torch speed (T) 6.92299 1 6.92299 319.304 <0.0001 8.33
Arc gap (A) 3.04329 1 3.04329 140.363 <0.0001 3.64
CT 0.29703 1 0.29703 13.6995 0.0011 0.35
CA 0.13323 1 0.13323 6.14464 0.0206 0.16
TA 0.57003 1 0.57003 26.2908 <0.0001 0.68
C2 0.26913 1 0.26913 12.4131 0.0017 0.32
T2 0.09977 1 0.09977 4.60146 0.0423 0.12
A2 0.11387 1 0.11387 5.25216 0.031 0.14
Residual 0.52036 24 0.02168
Lack of fit 0.15256 5 0.03051 1.57617 0.2145 Not significant
Pure error 0.3678 19 0.01936 0.44
Cor total 83.9516 33

Std. Dev. 0.14725 R2 0.9938

Mean 5.41235 Adj. R2 0.99148
C.V. % 2.72056 Pred. R2 0.98739
PRESS 1.05825 Adeq. precision 68.6309

developed is significant. Korra et al.17 have per-

formed a similar analysis for optimization of DOP
for A-TIG welding of super duplex stainless steel
alloy 2507. The ANOVA for DOP is shown in
Table 4. The lack of fit value of 0.2145 implies that
it is not significant. The adequacy measures adj. R2 is
close to 1, as it is desirable, which shows the adequacy
of the model. The adequate precision ratio is 68.631,
which represents the signal to noise ratio and is
greater than 4 showing the adequate model discrim-
ination. Figure 4 shows the scatter plot of the depth of
the developed model indicating good agreement
between the predicted and the actual values of DOP.
All the coefficients of the model are found to be
significant. The R2 value is 0.9938 and the predicted
‘‘R2’’ value is 0.98739 which are in reasonable agree-
ment with adjusted ‘‘R2’’ value 0.99148. The percent-
Figure 4. Scatter plot of depth of penetration model. age contribution shows the relative power of the
factors to reduce variation as a small variation has a
greater influence on the performance. The percentage
sequential F-test, lack of fit test, and analysis of vari- contribution of parameters on the DOP is shown in
ance (ANOVA) technique. Table 4. The current has more percentage contribution
on DOP (83.88%) followed by torch speed (8.33%).
Development of mathematical models for Therefore, current is the significant process parameter
influencing the DOP during A-TIG welding of DSS.
depth of penetration
The developed regression model in the coded and
Analysis of variance was performed for estimating the natural forms are given below
significance of the model at 95% significance level.
A model is considered to be significant if the p-value Depth of penetration ðcoded formÞ
(significance probability value) is less than 0.05. The ¼ þ5:50 þ 1:63C  0:50T  0:33A  0:14CT
objective of ANOVA is to investigate whether the
A-TIG welding process parameters and the inter- þ 0:091CA  0:19TA  0:11C2
action of process parameters have significant effects þ 0:066T2  0:071A2 ð4Þ
on the DOP and to recognize whether the model
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Figure 5. Interaction effect of current and torch speed on the depth of penetration: (a) the response surface and (b) the contour
plot.

Figure 6. Interaction effect of current and arc gap on the depth of penetration: (a) the response surface and (b) the contour plot.

The effect of each process parameter on the response

Depth of penetration ðactual formÞ
is identified through the developed response surface
¼ 0:51022 þ 0:047457C  0:013668T models. In the current section, an interaction effect
þ 0:54972A  0:000128296CT þ 0:00128884CA of the process parameters is discussed. When an inter-
 0:00873843TA  0:0000309343C2 action effect between any two process parameters is
being examined, the third parameter will be kept on
þ 0:000208162T2 0:050039A2 ð5Þ its center level. The interaction effects of process par-
ameters on DOP are shown in Figures 5 to 7. It is
observed from the interaction plots that current has a
larger effect on the DOP, which is also observed in
Interaction effect of process parameters on depth ANOVA Table 4.
The interaction effect of current and torch speed on
of penetration DOP is shown in Figure 5. The third parameter arc
According to ANOVA analysis, the factors and their gap is kept constant at 3 mm. From the response sur-
interactions have significant effects on the response. face and contour plot it is observed that as the current
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Korra et al. 7

Figure 7. Interaction effect of torch speed and arc gap on the depth of penetration: (a) the response surface and (b) the contour
plot.

Table 5. Optimization criteria.

Process parameters Lower Upper Lower Upper

and response Goal limit limit weight weight Importance

Current is in range 100 300 1 1 4

Torch speed is in range 60 120 1 1 4
Arc gap is in range 1 5 1 1 4
DOP is target ¼ 10 1 10 1 1 5
DOP: depth of penetration.

Table 6. Optimal solutions based on criteria.

Number Current Torch speed Arc gap Depth of penetration Desirability

1 300 60.0001 4.11628 9.41096 0.93455

2 300 60.0002 4.12422 9.41095 0.93455
3 300 60.0001 4.10693 9.41095 0.93455
4 300 60.0012 4.06814 9.41077 0.93453
5 300 60.0001 3.97646 9.40997 0.93444
6 299.999 60 4.25826 9.40994 0.93444
7 299.95 60.0003 4.09748 9.40961 0.9344
8 300 60.0001 4.31635 9.40898 0.93433
9 300 60 3.90862 9.40878 0.93431
10 300 60 3.89606 9.40851 0.93428
11 299.901 60 4.07793 9.40828 0.93425
12 299.789 60 4.08779 9.40534 0.93393
13 300 60.0001 3.71027 9.40266 0.93363
14 299.852 60.1051 4.28433 9.39883 0.9332
15 300 60.0002 4.62062 9.39829 0.93314
16 300 60 4.72847 9.39229 0.93248
(continued)
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Table 6. Continued

Number Current Torch speed Arc gap Depth of penetration Desirability

17 300 60.0002 3.33194 9.38008 0.93112

18 300 60.0001 3.17863 9.36685 0.92965
19 299.998 60 3.06789 9.35579 0.92842
20 300 60.0002 3.01964 9.35064 0.92785
21 300 60.6484 4.99994 9.32614 0.92513
22 300 60.0001 2.80355 9.32457 0.92495
23 299.999 60.0001 2.70622 9.31129 0.92348
24 300 60.0001 2.63783 9.30141 0.92238
25 300 60.0002 2.60165 9.29597 0.92177
26 299.86 61.7393 3.48696 9.28788 0.92088
27 295.523 60.0001 4.51255 9.28158 0.92018
28 297.924 60.0001 2.85932 9.27996 0.92
29 299.999 60.0001 2.47415 9.27581 0.91953
30 300 60.0001 2.42223 9.26715 0.91857
31 300 60 2.2184 9.2305 0.9145
32 300 60.0001 1.97163 9.18055 0.90895
33 300 60.0001 1.74129 9.12842 0.90316
34 300 60 1.57524 9.08756 0.89862
35 300 60.0002 1.19553 8.98373 0.88708
36 300 60.0045 1.16791 8.97546 0.88616
37 300 67.4527 3.24793 8.97062 0.88562
38 300 60.0004 1.11987 8.96132 0.88459
39 300 60 1.00315 8.92564 0.88063
40 300 70.9087 4.99998 8.62367 0.84707
41 286.247 60.0001 1.00002 8.60955 0.84551
42 300 89.0003 1 8.05814 0.78424

Table 7. Validation test results.

Process parameters Depth of penetration (mm)

Torch
Current speed Arc gap Actual Predicted RMS
S. No. (A) (mm/min) (mm) value value error

1 300 60.00 4.11 10.00 9.41

2 295 60.00 4.51 10.00 9.28 1.21
3 286 60.00 1.00 6.71 8.61

Chern et al.10 have also reported that constriction of

the plasma column increases the energy density in the
anode root resulting in a more focused arc causing in
Figure 8. The overlay plot shows the region of the optimal deep penetration in A-TIG welding compared to con-
working of welding conditions. ventional TIG welding. As the torch speed increases
the DOP decreases due to lesser heat input to the base
material. As the current increases from 100 to 300 A
increases the DOP increases due to higher heat input for constant torch speed (say 60 mm/min) the DOP
to the base material. Heat input represents the heat increases. Similarly as the torch speed increases from
energy transferred per unit length of the weld. The 60 to 120 mm/min for constant current (say 100 A) the
heat input is proportional to the input current. As DOP decreases.
the amount of current increases the energy transferred The increased DOP during A-TIG welding is
to the base metal increases resulting in a high DOP. recognized to constriction of arc and reversal of
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Korra et al. 9

Marangoni convection which occurs due to of the flux on the overlay plot in Figure 8 shows the regions that
disintegration.4,6,10 The weld shape variation in A- meet the proposed criteria.
TIG welding is caused by the surface active elements
like oxygen and sulphur.10 The heat input to the Validation of the optimum solutions identified
material is increased due to flux which helps in
increased OP.
by the model
The interaction effect of current and arc gap on The validation experiments were carried out for the
DOP is shown in Figure 6. The parameter torch optimal solutions identified in the model for achieving
speed is kept constant at 90 mm/min. At the lower the maximum DOP. Randomly three sets of process
arc gap, the arc is constricted leading to high arc parameters were chosen from the optimal solutions
energy density in the center of the arc due to higher list for the validation experiments. From Table 7 it
movement of the free electrons. This results in better is observed that to obtain higher penetration, the cur-
focus of the arc leading to more DOP. Tseng and rent must be higher and the torch speed must be
Hsu.11 have also reported that the constricted arc lower. Table 7 shows the actual values of the DOP;
plasma and centripetal Marangoni convection were model predicted values and the calculated root mean
the reason for increased weld bead penetration. At squared error (RMSE) for the validation set. The
the lower arc gap and higher current, the amount of RMSE value shows the minimum difference between
heat input to the material is increased, which leads to the actual and predicted values, which shows the
an increased DOP. As the current increases from 100 model is fairly accurate. The RMSE value was pre-
to 300 A for a constant arc gap (say 1 mm) the DOP dicted using the following equation
increases. Similarly for a constant current (say 100 A),
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
the increase in the arc gap from 1 to 5 mm  
X Ypred  Yref 2
leads to decrease in DOP due to decrease in the RMSE ¼ ð6Þ
energy density. N
The interaction effect of torch speed and arc gap
on DOP is shown in Figure 7. The parameter current where Ypred is the model predicted value, Yref is the
is kept constant at 200 A. It is observed that at lower laboratory measured value, and N is the number of
torch speed and lower arc gap, the amount of heat samples. The RMS error obtained was 1.21 for the
input to the material is more, which leads to the validation experiments.
increased DOP. As the torch speed increases from
60 to 120 mm/ min for a constant arc gap (say
1 mm), the DOP decreases. Similarly, if the arc gap
Conclusions
increases from 1 to 5 mm for constant torch speed 1. RSM is found to be an accurate method for opti-
(say 60 mm/min) the DOP also decreases. Similar mizing the A-TIG welding process parameters in
results were obtained by Korra et al.17 during order to obtain the desired DOP in duplex stain-
A-TIG welding of super duplex stainless steel less steel alloy 2205. The second-order quadratic
alloy 2507. model is successfully used to predict the DOP
during A-TIG welding of DSS plates.
2. The welding current has more effect on the DOP
Optimization using desirability approach of A-TIG welding of DSS plates compared to that
Optimization of process parameters in design expert of the other process parameters.
v7 software finds a combination of factor levels, 3. The graphical optimization gives the overlay plots,
which satisfy essential optimization criteria on the which results in quick visual inspection of the
response. Numerical and graphical optimization pro- region of feasible response values in the parameter
cess was performed by selecting the required goals for space to select the optimum process parameters
all process parameters and response. Numerical opti- for A-TIG welding of DSS alloy 2205.
mization technique contains combining the goals into
an overall desirability function. The numerical opti-
Funding
mization aspect in the design-expert software finds
one point or more in the factor domain that would This research received no specific grant from any
funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit
maximize this objective function. In graphical opti-
sectors.
mization with response, the design-expert software
defines regions where requirements meet the proposed
criteria, and overlaying critical response contours can Acknowledgement
be defined on contour plot. Table 5 shows the opti- The authors would like to sincerely thank the Director,
mization criteria for generating the optimal solutions Metallurgy and Materials Group, Indira Gandhi Centre
during A-TIG welding of DSS. Table 6 shows optimal for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakam for extending
solutions which were generated using DOE software the experimental facility and the National Institute of
based on optimization criteria. The bright yellow area Technology, Trichy for analytical support.
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10 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

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