Micro-grooves machining and optimizing on SiC/SiC composites by femtosecond laser-based on response surface methodology

This study applied femtosecond laser processing technology to prepare microgrooves on the surface of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The corresponding parameter ranges for response surface optimization were determined through single-factor experiments. Additionally, four quadratic regression models were established to predict surface roughness, groove width, groove depth, and volume material removal rate. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that the developed model was reliable. Additionally, the study investigated the effects of laser parameters such as power, scanning speed, and defocusing amount, as well as their interactions, on various outcome measures, including the roughness average (Ra), groove width, groove depth, and volume material removal rate (VRR). To optimize the process parameters, the response surface method was employed to achieve maximum VRR and minimum Ra. After conducting the analysis, the optimal processing parameters were determined to be a laser power of 36 W, a scanning speed of 24 mm/s, and a defocusing amount of −1.17 mm. The developed model accurately predicts groove depth, width, volume material removal rate, and surface roughness in SiC/SiC-CMCs processing. The relative deviations between the actual and expected values fall within the acceptable range, affirming model's reliability. This indicates that the model improves precision in predicting these parameters for SiC/SiC-CMCs processing. The findings of this study have significant implications for improving the processing quality and efficiency of SiC/SiC-CMCs and establishing a relationship between processing parameters and responses. These insights can inform future research efforts to optimize these complex materials' manufacturing processes.