Experimentation and Predictive Modelling of Drilling Process for CFRP Composite

Abstract

The use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) in aerospace and automobile industries gains momentum in the last two decades, which indicates the necessity of machining these materials for large-scale production. The features like corrosion and fatigue resistance mark it the first choice for structure building material over traditional metals. However, there are very stringent requirements for producing components to very near-net-shape that make it very difficult to produce complex parts in a single structure that necessitates a joining process like drilling. However, it is difficult to drill these hard-to-machine materials due to their abrasive nature in alternatively placed fiber and matrix layers with different mechanical and thermal properties. However, the drilled hole should be uniform without any internal surface defect to achieve adequate joint strength in this prospect, therefore it has to pass through some rigorous testing and quality checks for ensuring high standards of safety with minimal failure. The drastic difference in drilling-induced thrust with associated torque while drilling the stacked materials makes drilling operations a challenging task for manufacturers. newline