Combined analysis of wear mechanisms and delamination in CFRP drilling

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) are widely used in industry due to their outstanding mechanical properties combined with reduced density and good corrosion and fatigue resistance. Although composite components are manufactured near net shape, further machining operations are required. Drilling is the most common operation, involving a significant percentage of the total production cost. This study analyzes the influence of cutting parameters on tool wear mechanisms and machining-induced damage in CFRP drilling with diamond-coated carbide tools. The wear mechanism is a combination of localized detachments of the diamond coating on the rake surface and the subsequent abrasive wear of the carbide substrate. The main contribution of this paper is a combined analysis of tool wear, delamination, and machining forces, oriented to the optimization of the cuffing parameters, cutting tool utilization, and real-time control of these drilling processes.