Manufacturing Technology 2025, 25(2):230-238 | DOI: 10.21062/mft.2025.030
Milling Performance of Selective Laser Melted Ti6Al4V: A Taguchi Approach for Surface Roughness Optimization
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Medan, Indonesia
Titanium alloy Ti6Al4V fabricated using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) has gained significant attention in biomedical and aerospace applications due to its superior mechanical properties and design flexibility. However, its machining characteristics, particularly in milling, remain challenging due to the material's hardness and thermal conductivity. This study investigates the milling performance of SLM-manufactured Ti6Al4V by optimizing surface roughness using the Taguchi method. An L9 orthogonal array was employed, considering spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut as control factors. Surface roughness measurements were analyzed using Signal-to-Noise (S/N) ratios, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results indicate that spindle speed significantly affects surface roughness, contributing over 83.67% of the total variation. The optimized milling parameters resulted in a notable improvement in surface quality, highlighting the effectiveness of the Taguchi method in achieving better machinability for additively manufactured titanium alloys. This study offers useful insights to improve the milling process of SLM-made Ti6Al4V, helping boost performance in industrial use.
Keywords: Selective Laser Melting, Milling, Taguchi, Surface Roughness, Ti6Al4V
Received: January 8, 2025; Revised: April 29, 2025; Accepted: April 29, 2025; Prepublished online: April 29, 2025; Published: May 6, 2025 Show citation
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