Parameter Optimisation of a Vacuum Plasma Spraying Process Using Boron Carbide

This study determines the optimal processing parameters for vacuum plasma spraying boron carbide (B₄C), employing an integrated approach based on the Taguchi design method, a neural network, and a genetic algorithm (GA). The proposed method comprises two stages. In the first stage, the Taguchi design method is used to establish a preliminary solution for the optimal set of processing parameters. In the second stage, the experimental results acquired from the Taguchi trials are used to construct a neural network model of the spraying process. A GA is then used to establish the optimal combination of processing parameters. The experimental results show that the coating void content of the specimen prepared using the processing parameters identified by the GA is significantly lower than that of the specimen prepared using the processing parameters identified by the Taguchi method alone.