Experiment-calculation comparison of the cutting conditions representative of the long fiber composite drilling phase

With the aim of damage modeling in long fiber composite structures during drilling, a simplified framework of study is adopted with the choice of orthogonal cutting. This study consists of two parts, The first is related to the experimental analysis of the orthogonal cutting applied to unidirectional laminates in carbon/epoxy for various angles between the direction of fibers and the toot cutting direction (cutting speed). The second part concerns the numerical modeling of the orthogonal cutting in statics for the simple case of fibers orientated at 0degrees with respect to the tool's cutting direction. The experimental study of the cut highlights the great influence of the angle between the fiber orientation and the direction of cutting speed of the tool on the chip formation as well as the rupture modes. Numerical computation is based on the fracture process and more particularly on the computation of the energy release rate by the method Virtual Crack Extension (using the software, SAMCEF). It makes it possible to measure the influence of the geometry of the cutting tool and the depth of the cut on the cutting force. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.