Optimizing Mechanical Properties of AISI304 Steel Plates Welded by GTAW Method Using Grey Analysis

Argon or Gas-Tungsten Arc welding (GTAW) is known as an important method of joining metals in industrial applications. Due to the importance of the controlling welding-parameters to prevent any defect formation during the process; in this research, weld-current, pre-heating temperature and electrode-traveling speed are adopted as the input welding-parameters. Then, using the Grey Analysis Method, the effect of the aforementioned welding-parameters on the ultimate-strength, hardness and angular distortions of the welded joints are obtained and optimized. Grey-diagrams are plotted by calculating the Grey-ratio, Grey coefficient and Grey-degree. Finally, based on these diagrams, the effect of the welding-input variables is established in percent and the optimum values are obtained with the effect of input parameters on the output values. Experimental tests are carried out based on the optimum values for the input and output parameters to verify the results of the Grey analyses.