Rotary ultrasonic machining of CFRP: A comparison with twist drilling

Abstract

Drilling is involved in many applications of carbon fiber–reinforced plastic composite. Twist drilling is widely used in industry. Rotary ultrasonic machining has been successfully tested to drill holes in carbon fiber–reinforced plastic. However, there are no reports on comparisons between rotary ultrasonic machining and twist drilling of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. This paper compares rotary ultrasonic machining and twist drilling of carbon fiber–reinforced plastic in six aspects (cutting force, torque, surface roughness, delamination, tool life, and material remove rate). Experimental results show that rotary ultrasonic machining is superior in almost all these aspects.