OBRABOTKAMETALLOV Vol. 28 No. 1 2026 273 MATERIAL SCIENCE References 1. Alagarsamy S., Ravichandran M. Parametric studies on dry sliding wear behaviour of Al-7075 alloy matrix composite using S/N ratio and ANOVA analysis. Materials Research Express, 2020, vol. 7 (2), p. 026502. DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/ab6c9b. 2. Gurajala N.K., Abdullah M., Manikanta J.E., Ambhore N. Eff ect of AA 6351–ZrB2 in-situ composition on dry sliding wear performance at elevated temperatures. Oxford Open Materials Science, 2025, vol. 5 (1), pp. 1–7. DOI: 10.1093/omscience/itaf010. 3. Elaiyarasan U., Baranitharan P., Satheeshkumar V., Senthilkumar C., Vinod B. Wear behaviour and coating performance of WC–Cu composite electrodes on ZE41A magnesium alloy using electrospark deposition. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 2024, vol. 64 (4), pp. 2114–2127. DOI: 10.1080/00084433.2024.2437218. Optimization of wear rate in tungsten-copper metal matrix composites: a robust design approach Chandrashekhar Ramkrushna Ingle 1, a, Aniruddha Nikalje1, b, Nitin Ambhore 2, c, * 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government Engineering College, Chh. Sambhajinagar, 431005, Maharashtra, India 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, SPPU, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India a https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3052-3279, inglecr@gmail.com; b https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0967-4779, amnikalje@yahoo.com; c https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8468-8057, nitin.ambhore@vit.edu Obrabotka metallov - Metal Working and Material Science Journal homepage: http://journals.nstu.ru/obrabotka_metallov Obrabotka metallov (tekhnologiya, oborudovanie, instrumenty) = Metal Working and Material Science. 2026 vol. 28 no. 1 pp. 262–274 ISSN: 1994-6309 (print) / 2541-819X (online) DOI: 10.17212/1994-6309-2026-28.1-262-274 ART I CLE I NFO Article history: Received: 31 December 2025 Revised: 12 January 2026 Accepted: 19 January 2026 Available online: 15 March 2026 Keywords: Tungsten-copper composite Wear ANOVA Optimization ABSTRACT Introduction. Wear is a critical factor in assessing the performance and durability of tungsten-copper (W-Cu) composites. These composites are widely used in electrical contacts, electrodes, and high-temperature applications. Tungsten provides high hardness and wear resistance, while copper ensures excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. The purpose of the work. This study aims to quantify the wear rate based on pin mass loss and to develop a statistically robust procedure for minimizing the dry-sliding wear rate of W-Cu metal matrix composites. The investigation focuses on determining the optimal process parameters for achieving minimal wear. The methods of investigation. In this study, a Taguchi L₉ orthogonal array was employed to design the experiments, with the following key parameters: reinforcement percentage (20–40%), temperature (160–200 °C), and load (80–100 N). Wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc tribometer. The results were analyzed using the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio approach (smaller-the-better characteristic) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The experiments followed the ‘One Variable At A Time’ (OVAT) principle, varying only one parameter while keeping the others constant. Furthermore, ANOVA was used to assess the individual infl uence of each control factor – reinforcement percentage, temperature, and load – on the wear performance of the W-Cu composites. Results and Discussion. The experimental results were analyzed using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios (smaller-the-better characteristic) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimum parameter combination – 30% reinforcement, 200°C, and 80N – resulted in the lowest wear rate of 3.498×10−7 mm³/(N·m). ANOVA identifi ed temperature as the most infl uential factor, contributing 90.6% to the performance variation, followed by reinforcement percentage (7.5%) and load (1.8%). Validation experiments confi rmed the prediction accuracy, with an error of 4.6%. This study demonstrates the eff ectiveness of the Taguchi method in identifying a robust set of process parameters for enhancing the wear performance of W-Cu composites, off ering practical guidance for industrial applications. For citation: Ingle C.R., Nikalje A., Ambhore N. Optimization of wear rate in tungsten-copper metal matrix composites: a robust design approach. Obrabotka metallov (tekhnologiya, oborudovanie, instrumenty) = Metal Working and Material Science, 2026, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 262–274. DOI: 10.17212/1994-6309-2026-28.1-262-274. (In Russian). ______ * Corresponding author Nitin Ambhore, Ph.D. (Engineering), Associate Professor Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India Tel.: +91-2026950441, e-mail: nitin.ambhore@vit.edu
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk0ODM1