Development of response surface regression model for optimizing wear rate of boron steel

Prediction of wear rate of boron steel (50B50) influenced by a combination of three factors namely applied load, hardness and peening intensity, was attempted by developing a second order response surface regression model. In the developed model, the influencing factors like peening intensity, applied load, second degree polynomial of peening intensity and interactions of applied load with both of hardness and peening intensity were having significant effect on influencing the abrasive wear rate of boron steel. But the interaction between hardness and peening intensity produced a non-significant effect on wear rate. Based on the Tukey's test and grouping of the levels of different factors, the minimum wear rate of inter-critically annealed boron steel with hardness value of 446 Hv was observed after shot peening at 0.17 Almen “A ”with an applied load of 75N.