Experimental study, modeling, and parametric optimization on abrasive waterjet drilling of YSZ-coated Inconel 718 superalloy

The demand for advanced materials with exceptional mechanical and thermal properties has increased significantly in various aerospace, automotive, and power generation industries in recent years. Inconel 718 superalloy is preferred due to its exceptional strength, corrosion resistance, and elevated temperature stability. However, machining Inconel 718 poses substantial challenges due to its inherent toughness, low thermal conductivity, and high work hardening rate. This study investigated the drilling performance of Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ)-coated Inconel 718 superalloy using Abrasive Water Jet machining. The objective of this study is to comprehensively examine the effects of process parameters, such as water pressure (WP), abrasive flow rate (AFR), and stand-off distance (SOD), on the quality and efficiency of drilling YSZ-coated Inconel 718. Experimental investigations are conducted using a specially designed AWJ setup. Further, the dragon-fly optimization algorithm is proposed to identify optimal drilling process parameters to simultaneously minimize output responses like entry, exit, and erosion diameters. Comparing the proposed algorithm's performance against that of the Harmony Search and Jaya algorithms demonstrates its effectiveness.