Influence of Different Technological Parameters on Cutting Force in Drilling GFRP Composites

The production of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite parts for engineering applications often requires drilling holes in these composite parts for assembling purposes. However, drilling can cause different types of part failure, one of those failures being delamination. The risk of delamination can be reduced by selecting appropriate technological parameters to ensure low cutting forces, that affect delamination. This paper presents the results of an experimental study investigating the relationship between cutting force and technological parameters of drilling (v
c
and f
z
) for GFRP composites. Four types of GFRP samples were used in the study, differing with respect to weight fraction ratio of a reinforcement material, fiber type (twill woven and plain woven) and manufacturing technology. A 2-edge carbide diamond coated drill with a diameter of 12.726 mm was used in the tests. Measurements of the cutting force component F
z
in the drilling process conducted with variable technological parameters were made on a special test stand, 9257B from Kistler. Based on the study, it can be concluded that drilling conducted with lower values of technological parameters results in a lower value of the cutting force component F
z
.