Parametric Optimization to Enhance the Tensile Strength of Nd:YAG Laser Welded Austenitic Stainless Steel.

The influence of process parameters viz., plate thickness, laser power and welding speed in enhancing the tensile strength of laser welded austenitic 316 stainless steel is presented. The experiments based on Taguchi analogy were conducted in a Nd:YAG laser welding machine and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was computed to determine the optimum parameters. The contribution of each selected parameter is determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Mathematical model based on regression analysis is developed to predict the tensile strength of the 316 stainless steel welded joints at any given conditions using statistical software. In addition, tensile strength of the post weld heat treated 316 stainless steel joints were correlated with the as welded joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]