Design and Development of Solid Carbide Step Drill K34 for Machining of CFRP and GFRP Composite Laminates

The Study focused on design and development of solid carbide step drill 1(34 to drill holes on composite materials such as Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP).The step drill K34 replaces step wise drilling of diameter 6.5mm and 9 mm holes that reduces the setup time, cutting speed, feed rate cost, delamination and increase the production rate. Several researchers have analyzed the effect of drilling process on various fiber reinforced plastic composites by carrying out using conventional tools and machinery. However, this process operation can lead to different kind of damages such as delamination, fiber pullout, and local cracks. To avoid the problems encountered at the time of drilling, suitable tool material and geometry is essential. This paper deals with the design and development of K34 Carbide step drill used to drill holes on CFRP and GFRP laminates. An Experimental study carried out to investigate the tool geometry, feed rate and cutting speed that avoids delamination and fiber breakage