Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting

parameter for the preparation of AMC
T. Adithiyaa a,⇑, D. Chandramohan a, T. Sathish b
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, St. Peter’s Institute of Higher Education and Research, Avadi, Chennai 600 054, Tamil Nadu, India
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, SMR East Coast College of Engineering and Technology, Thanjavur 614 612, Tamil Nadu, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Aluminium Matrix Composite (AMC) is an encouraging metal matrix composition method for the prepa-
Received 14 July 2019 ration of most of the commercial metal. The AMC preparation with nitride or oxide nano particle has
Accepted 24 July 2019 advantage to boost the hardness and strength of the metal. But the preparation of actual or exact com-
Available online xxxx
position of reinforcement material is challenging task. Hence optimization is employed in this paper to
select the optimal parameter of the stair casting process of AMC preparation. In the proposed work the
Keywords: Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is used for the optimal parameter selection. The optimization is
Flower Pollination Algorithm
employed based on the hardness and strength. Ultimately the performance of the proposed technique
Parameter optimization
Stair casting
proves the effectiveness in the stair casting parameter optimization.
Aluminium matrix composite Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Metal matrix composite Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Recent
Trends in Nanomaterials for Energy, Environmental and Engineering Applications.

1. Introduction and physical properties imparted by the aluminium of the metal

Now a day, in industries the metal matrix composition (MMC) is
one of the unavoidable processes to prepare the desired materials.
These composites can help to enhance the mechanical and/or tri-
bolgical properties of normal metal or metal alloy [1]. In MMC a
base metal is reinforced by a material to provide additional
strength to the metal. In general, for the preparation of light weight
metal the aluminium or titanium matrix are reinforced by any of
the carbide or oxide materials. Among aluminium or aluminium
alloy are the most used matrix metal for the preparation of light
weight commercial products [2].
Engineered composite materials have been of interest in
defence and commercial markets for many decades as they sought
to obtain continuous performance improvements [3]. Later the
metal matrix composites were focused due to their potential to
provide significant increases in the stiffness and high temperature
strength of lightweight matrix alloy such as aluminium and tita-
nium [4]. In that time, substantial progress has been made on
many fronts, most notably in composites with aluminium as the
matrix metal. The interest in particulate aluminium metal matric
composite is driven by the combination of improved mechanical
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: adithiyaa7851@gmail.com (T. Adithiyaa).
matric while still maintaining favourable metalworking character-
istics and metallic behaviour [5].
Aluminium or aluminium alloy can reinforced by the some of
the particles in the form of carbide or oxide such as silicon carbide
(SiC), tungsten carbide (WC), Silicon nitride (Si3N4), aluminium
oxide (Al2O3), etc [6]. In the present attempt has been made to
develop aluminium based graphite and silicon carbide particulate
with an objective to develop the characteristics of producing
MMCs. Al matrix composites reinforced with Gr and SiC particulate
[7]. The wear of hybrid composites has a tendency to increase
beyond% reinforcement, its values are 0.0242 g, 0.0228 g and
0.0234 g respectively at 3%, 7.5% and 10% reinforcement [8]. The
corresponding values are 0.0254 g, 0.0240 g and 0.0242 g in Al–
Gr composites and 0.0307 g, 0.0254 g and 0.0221 g in Al–SiC com-
posites, clearly indicating that hybrid composites exhibit better
wear characteristics [9].
The pitting susceptibility of metal matrix composites based on
aluminium (1050) reinforced with silicon carbide particulate has
been examined using polarization in neutral 1 N NaCl solution at
25 °C [10]. It will be find the MMCs show increased susceptibility
to pitting attack compared with unreinforced alloys and that the
major contribution to this enhanced attack arises from voids at
the reinforcement/matrix interface. The voids may arise either as
a result of poor bonding at the reinforcement/matrix interface or

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711
2214-7853/Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Recent Trends in Nanomaterials for Energy, Environmental and Engineering
Applications.

Please cite this article as: T. Adithiyaa, D. Chandramohan and T. Sathish, Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting parameter for
the preparation of AMC, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711
2 T. Adithiyaa et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

from the presence of cracked reinforcement particles [11]. Alu-

minium alloy (AA 6082) composites reinforced with tungsten car-
bide particles. It fabricates by Stir casting process. The aluminium
composite specimen by varying tungsten carbide in 2, 4, 6, 8 and
10% by weight. The density, impact strength and elongation of
the composites decreased with increase in addition of tungsten
carbide, while the hardness of composites increased with increase
in tungsten carbide [12].
Aluminium-matrix composites containing AIN, SiC or AI203 par-
ticles are fabricate by vacuum infiltration of liquid aluminium [13].
AI/AIN had similar tensile strengths and higher ductility compared
to AI/SiC of similar reinforcement volume fractions at room temper-
ature, but exhibited higher tensile strength and higher ductility at
300–400
and at room temperature after heating at 600
for 10–
20 days. At 400
AI/AIN exhibited mainly ductile fracture, whereas
AI/SiC exhibited brittle fracture due to particle de-cohesion. More-
over, AI/AIN exhibited greater resistance to compressive deforma-
tion at 525
than AI/SiC [14]. A method for recycling aluminium
alloy chips by cold and hot pressing followed by hot extrusion. Alu-
minium AA6061 matrix composite reinforced with Al2O3 recycled
by cold pressing and hot extrusion was compared with the primary
material produced by conventional casting process from which the
chips were obtained. Due to the refinement of the microstructure
and the dispersion of the aluminium oxide caused by the extrusion
process, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the hardness were
higher for the recycled material than for the former composite [15].
The Taguchi method is applied initially to plan a minimum
number of experiments. A robust design method is developed for
reducing cost and improving quality in aluminium recycling. An
experimental investigation into the process parameter effects is
presented to determine the optimum configuration of design
parameters for performance, quality and cost. Matrix experiments
using standard L4 and L9 orthogonal arrays are working to evaluate
the effects of parameters in recycling of aluminium dross and scrap
materials. An L18 orthogonal array illustrating a good agreement
between the optimum factor levels suggested by the signal-to-
noise ratios and those obtained from the response surfaces [16].
A new hybrid composite as well as to analyse the optimum
turning conditions to minimise the surface roughness and work
piece surface temperature, thereby increasing the productivity.
Experiments were conducted based on the Taguchi parameter
design by varying the feed (0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 mm/rev), cutting
speed (200, 250 and 300 m/min) and depth of cut (0.5, 1.0 and
1.5 mm). Mechanical properties of the hybrid composite increases
with reinforcement content. The surface roughness decreases with
increasing cutting speed and conversely increases with increasing
feed and depth of cut [17]. The work piece surface temperature
increases as cutting speed, feed and depth of cut increases [18].
MMCs were synthesised using in-situ casting and L18 orthogo-
nal arrays (OA) were applied to optimise EDM process parameters
[19]. This present study which focuses on optimisation of electric
discharge machining (EDM) process parameters of Al-CuTiB2 metal
matrix composites (MMCs). A multi attribute decision making
(MADM) technique namely technique for order preference by sim-
ilarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) were applied for solving multi-
criteria optimisation in the EDM process [20]. The optimal EDM
process parameters were found and the results obtained using
TOPSIS was agreed by practitioners.
2. Problem formation
In the proposed work the AMC is prepared using stir casting
method, in which the aluminium alloy 2219 is used with nano
Al2O3 and Si3N4. The amount of nano Al2O3 and Si3N4 are added
to AA 2219 in the wt% of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.5. Then the optimization
Fig. 1. Stir casting setup.
is carried out to choose the best combination of matrix composi-
tion. The Fig. 1 shows the setup of stir casting method is shown.
3. Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA)
The FPA developed by the Xin-She Yang in the year 2012. The
algorithm is depends on the natural characteristics of process in
the flowering plants. The pollination process can mainly depends
on the pollinators, the pollinators are insects such as animals, bats,
birds and butterflies etc. Generally, the flowering plants forms a
two types of pollination process such as biotic and abiotic. The bio-
tic pollination process created by the insects and birds. Without
any external pollinators, the pollination creates in flower can be
defined the abiotic method. The ninety percentage of the pollina-
tion carried out by the biotic pollination method. Additionally,
the pollination process be able to divide in to two types such as
self-pollination and cross pollination.
The cross-pollination can be defined as transfer the pollen from
one flowering plant to flower of a various plant. Similarly, the self-
pollination can be defined as transfer the pollen from the one flow-
ering plant to the other flower in the same flowering plant. The
self-pollination does not need any pollinator to attain the pollina-
tion process. The pollination among flowers at very longer distance
can be called as global pollination process. From the FPA algorithm,
the pollinators should jump long steps to create the pollination
process, it must follow the levy distribution function. Hence, the
flower constancy can be utilized an increased step depends on
the different or similarity of two flowers. Based on the above char-
acteristics of pollination behaviour, flower constancy and pollina-
tion process have some rules which are mentioned below,
 The global pollination can be considered as biotic and cross pol-
lination. The pollinator’s performing established on levy flights.
 Local pollination of FPA can be considered as abiotic and self-
pollination.
 The reproduction probability is proportional to the different or
similarity of two flowers presented in pollination process can
be considered as flower constancy.
 Switch probability p 2 ½0; 1 can be taken as a control factor to
local pollination and global pollination process. Here, p can be
talked about significant fraction and analysed by local pollina-
tion, physical proximity and other factors. It can be considered
as overall pollination performances.

Please cite this article as: T. Adithiyaa, D. Chandramohan and T. Sathish, Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting parameter for
the preparation of AMC, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711
 T. Adithiyaa et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx 3

From the above considerations and ideal rules of the FPA algo- 3.3. Switching probability
rithm. The characteristics of the FPA can be described below,
The switching probability is controlled and determined the
global pollination or local pollinations. The switching probability
3.1. Global pollination
controls the balance among the local development and
global exploration. The switching probability is mentioned in the
The cross pollination and biotic process can be considered as
Eq. (4)
the global pollination. The initial rule can be mathematically repre-
sented in the Eq. (1), S:P ¼ P½0; 1 ð4Þ

Ptþ1 ¼ Pti þ LFðGB  P ti Þ ð1Þ The flower pollination activities can perform at every scales
i
in normal. In the reality condition, the next to flower patches
where, P ti can be described as pollen i or solution vector Pi at itera- are bound to be pollinated by a local flower pollen than those
tiont, GB is the best solution of the present population and LF is distant. The above problem can overcome by the utilization of
defined as the Levy flying step size and it is related to uniform dis- the switching probability. The switching probability is used to
tribution. The LF is mathematically presented in the Eq. (2), switch among general global pollination to concentrated local
pollination. Generally, the p = 0.5 can be used for most of the
pc

cCðcÞsin 1   applications (Fig. 2).
LF ¼ 2
Z  Z0 > 0 ð2Þ
p Z 1þc Finally, the new solutions are obtained from the current itera-
tion. The each solution Ptþ1 is contrasted to the previous solution
where, cC can be taken as standard gamma function that is valid for
i
Pti , it is better after that it is updated otherwise it stays the same.
steps in larger Z > 0, Z is the step of Ley flying. c ¼ 1:5 Can be taken
GB can be updated to the new current best and the process is
to enhance the faster convergence and works better for maximum
repeated for a predefined number of iterations.
applications.
The mixture of the global and local pollination with the random
switching among the two allows for a wide variety of the problem
3.2. Local pollination space to be discovered. Increasing the chance of attaining a good
result and decreasing the likelihood of dipping into a local
Self-pollination represents the local pollination. The local polli- optimum.
nation is systematically derived, it is presented in the Eq. (3),
  3.4. Process of the FPA
Ptþ1
i ¼ Pti þ e Ptj  P tk ð3Þ
The FPA is used to achieve the objective function. It has differ-
where, Ptj and P tk are the pollens from different flowers of the similar ent steps for attain the objective function. The steps of the FPA
flowering plants. e can be a local search distribution and e½0; 1. algorithm is mentioned below,

Fig. 2. Flow Chart of Flower Pollination Algorithm.

Please cite this article as: T. Adithiyaa, D. Chandramohan and T. Sathish, Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting parameter for
the preparation of AMC, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711
4 T. Adithiyaa et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Step 1: Initialization
 Number of iterations
 Population size
 the dimension of the search variable’s
 Probability switch
Step 2: Define the switching probability p = 0.5 or 0.85.
Step 3: Loop over all solutions such as n flowers in the popula-
tion. The loop is applied to the objective function.
Step 4: Check the condition If r and < p, attain the global polli-
nation with levy distribution function based on the Eqs. (1) and (2).
Step 5: Otherwise, the uniform distribution in [0, 1] based local
pollination is attained. The local pollination process is mentioned
in the Eq. (3).
Step 6: Finally, compute the best solution by FPA process. Apply
the new solutions to attain the objective function.
Step 7: If the best solution is satisfied, update the solution to the
population.
Step 8: update the current global best.
Step 9: If the maximum number iteration reached, the process
will be stop. Otherwise move to the step 3.
Step 10: display the result or store the result.
4. Results and discussion
The performance of the proposed FPA is compared based on the
hardness and strength with and without optimization. The hard-
ness and tensile strength comparison is given in Figs. 3 and 4
respectively.

Fig. 3. Hardness Comparison.

Fig. 4. Tensile Strength.

Please cite this article as: T. Adithiyaa, D. Chandramohan and T. Sathish, Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting parameter for
the preparation of AMC, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711
 T. Adithiyaa et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx 5

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Please cite this article as: T. Adithiyaa, D. Chandramohan and T. Sathish, Flower Pollination Algorithm for the optimization of stair casting parameter for
the preparation of AMC, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.711