EXPERIMENTA L INVESTIGATION TO PREDICT DEN SITY O F P/M ALUMINIUM - COPPER COMPOSITES IN COLD COMPRESSION U SING SURFACE RESPONSE METHODOLOGY

In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) has been applied for the prediction of the influence of process parameters, namely, deformatio n load, aspect ratio, initial relative density and copper content (%) on the densification behaviour of powder metallurgical aluminium - copper preforms. The process has been successfully modeled using RSM, Box - Behnken design technique, and tested for its ad equacy. The significant process parameters have been identified and verified. The results revealed that all the process parameters are significant in which deformation load and initial relative density are positively affected the final relative density whi le aspect ratio and copper content (%) are negatively affected the final relative density of the preforms. The experimental and predicted values are in a good agreement. The model sufficiency is very satisfactory as the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) is found to be 99.38% and adjusted R 2 (adj R 2 ) is 98.77%.