Sequential Laser–Mechanical Drilling of Thick Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites (CFRP) for Industrial Applications

Abstract

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) can be costly to manufacture, but they are typically used anywhere a high strength-to-weight ratio and a high steadiness (rigidity) are needed in many industrial applications, particularly in aerospace. Drilling composites with a laser tends to be a feasible method since one of the composite phases is often in the form of a polymer, and polymers in general have a very high absorption coefficient for infrared radiation. The feasibility of sequential laser–mechanical drilling for a thick CFRP is discussed in this article. A 1 kW fibre laser was chosen as a pre-drilling instrument (or initial stage), and mechanical drilling was the final step. The sequential drilling method dropped the overall thrust and torque by an average of 61%, which greatly increased the productivity and reduced the mechanical stress on the cutting tool while also increasing the lifespan of the bit. The sequential drilling (i.e., laser 8 mm and mechanical 8 mm) for both drill bits (i.e., 2- and 3-flute uncoated tungsten carbide) and the laser pre-drilling techniques has demonstrated the highest delamination factor (SFDSR) ratios. A new laser–mechanical sequence drilling technique is thus established, assessed, and tested when thick CFRP composites are drilled.

Machinability investigation in electric discharge machining of carbon fiber reinforced composites for aerospace applications

“…Carbon nanotubes/carbon fiber (CNT/CF) reinforced composites have excellent mechanical properties with a high strength-to-weight ratio and low thermal expansion, making them ideal for use in light-weight structures in a variety of applications like aviation, biomedical, automotive, and military. [1][2][3][4] Due to their extreme hardness, toughness, as well as their anisotropic nature, CNT/CF is considered difficult to cut materials by using conventional machining methods because these result in high tool wear, delamination, and fiber pull-out. [3,5,6] The failures arising from the machining of these materials were found to reduce the strength and fatigue life of the components.…”