International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Developments [ICRAMID - 2014]

Experimental Investigation of Drilling of GFRP

Composites by Twist Drill Bit Made up of Different
Tool Materials
#1

#3

R.Raja* #1,

G.Chandramohan #2,

V.Krishnaraj #3

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karunya University, Coimbatore, India 641114

1 raja_r11773@karunya.edu.
#2Director Academics, Sri Krishna College of Technology, Coimbatore, India 641042
2director-academics@skct.edu.in

Department of Mechanical Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India 641004

3 vkr@mec.psgteh.ac.in

Abstract In this study machine tool parameters spindle speed

(rpm), feed (mm/rev) and the twist drill bit material are varied
and the significance of these variations on the output responses
such as thrust force, torque during drilling process and
delamination factor of the hole after the process are assessed.
During conducting the experiments, the thrust force and torque
was measured using 9257 B Kistler dynamometer. Delamination
factor was measured using a Metzer profile projector. Response
surface methodology is used to find optimum values of process
parameters
to
minimize
delamination.
Confirmatory
experiments were carried out with optimum variables; and they
gave the optimum response
Key words: Thrust force, Delamination factor, twist drill bit

I. INTRODUCTION
Composite materials have emerged as one of the leading
material in the last three decades due to their ability to
produce high-quality, durable and cost-effective products.
Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers have a wide range of
applications in modern world, especially in automobile and
aerospace industries and defence sector. Drilling of polymer
matrix composite materials is considered as a critical
operation because of the inhomogeneous and anisotropy
nature of these materials. Composite materials found in many
of our products that we use in our daily life. A distinct
advantage of polymer matrix composites over the
conventional materials is the ability to use many combinations
of matrix (resins) and reinforcements and therefore customize
the mechanical and physical properties of a structure. The
advantage of composite materials over conventional materials
is largely from their high specific strength, stiffness and
fatigue characteristics. In general GFRP composites
manufactured by the near net shape processes, but for
assembly of GFRP laminates drilling holes is an inevitable
machining process. Due to the inhomogeneous and anisotropic
nature of the GFRP composite materials, machining of these is
not as easy as machining of metals. El-Sonbaty et al. [1]
report that over 100,000 holes are required in a small air craft
mostly for fasteners. Capello et al [2] regards delamination of
the composite is the most difficult damage that can severely
impair the performance of the finished/assembled component.

Khashaba et al [3] asserted that delamination is responsible

for the rejection of approximately 60 % of the components
produced in the aircraft industry. Glass fibers are highly
abrasive in nature, hence in case of drilling of glass fibers, it
results in higher delamination of hole, higher tool wear and
shorter tool life. Different tool geometries and various tool
materials are used to study the effectiveness of drilling of
GFRP in terms of delamination factor and thrust force.
II. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
In these work E glass fibers as reinforcement and epoxy resins
as matrix material are used to make GFRP laminates. Epoxy
resins have a well-established record in a wide range of
composite parts, structures and concrete repair. The structure
of the resin can be engineered to yield a number of different
products with varying levels of performance. Epoxies are used
primarily for fabricating high performance composites with
superior mechanical properties, resistance to corrosive liquids
and environments. Fig.1 shows the arrangement of
dynamometer in the work table of the drilling machine used in
this work. In this experimental work, twist drill bit made up of
materials High Speed Steel(HSS),tungsten carbide and Poly
crystalline diamond(PCD) are used as three different drill bit
materials, Spindle speed(rpm) is varied at three levels(450,852
and1250) and feed rate(mm/rev) also varied at three
levels(0.04,0.08and 0.12). Table 1 shows the process
parameters and their levels

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TABLE 1
PROCESS PARAMETERS AND THEIR LEVELS
Process
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
parameter
Drill
High
Tungsten Poly
Bit
Speed
carbide
crystalline
material
Steel
diamond
(HSS)
Feed
(mm/rev)
Spindle
Speed(rpm)

0.04

0.08

0.12

450

852

1250

International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Developments [ICRAMID - 2014]

Damage of the hole is assessed by a factor known as

delamination facor.It is computed as Delamination factor (Fd)
= Dmax / D where as D max is the diameter of the hole
produced, D is the diameter of the intended hole [8]. When
delamination factor is 1, it indicates there is no delamination
in the hole. A Metzer profile projector with magnification
ranges of 10x, 20x and 50x is used to measure the hole
diameter. It has linear least count of 10 micron and angular
least count of 1 minute. When spindle speed increases
delamination factor decreases. It is owing to the fact, at high
speeds Fibers were cut in a more uniform manner [9]. It is
because of the fact that when fibers were cut in a rapid manner
pull out of uncut fibers entangled with cut fibers is minimized

Kistler
Dynamometer

Connection
cable

Fig.1.Dynamometer arrangement

Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites (GFRECs)

consists of glass fiber and epoxy matrix; it was
manufactured by hand layup method. [6] The
reinforcing material that is the E glass fiber was laid at
45 degree orientation. Hence alternate layers were
perpendicular to each other. This arrangement enhances
the strength of the composite in all directions .six
alternate layers of glass fibers are arranged in this
manner along with epoxy matrix in between each layer
to get the thickness of 5mm.volume fraction of fiber is
maintained at 60% by weight in this method [7].
2.3 Design of experiment
Taguchi experimental design method, a powerful tool for
designing a high quality system was adopted in this
experimental work. In this work three machining parameters
were used as control factors and each parameter were varied at
three levels. 3 factors 3 level, full factorial design of 27 run
experiments was carried out with two replications
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
3.1 Effect of spindle speed on thrust force and delamination
factor

The thrust force obtained for various spindle speed during

drilling of GFRP is analysed. It is observed that the thrust
force increases with the decrease in spindle speed owing to
increase in uncut chip thickness, less uncut fibers give less
resistance to drilling [10]. It is also due to the fact that that at
elevated temperature softening of matrix takes place; it helps
to make relatively holes with more geometrical integrity [1112].
3.2 Effect of feed on thrust force and delamination factor
It is observed that in among the three feed ranges, the highest
feed gives more thrust force and delamination. At higher feed
rates, there is an increase in self-generated feed angle which
signicantly reduces the working clearance angle of the drill
resulting in rubbing against the work material causing higher
thrust [4, 13 and 14]
Fig 3 shows scanning electron images of the drilled hole wall
surface of GFRP here the arrangement of fibers and
distribution of matrix is shown. In this distribution of matrix is
uniform in certain places and they are not uniform in certain
places, it is due to uneven distribution fibers during
manufacturing and fiber pull-out during machining operation.
It also shows the pattern of fiber breakage in the workpiece
[15]

Fig. 3 SEM image of hole wall surface

Fig. 2.Delamination Factor measurement

The experiments are designed through the experimental

design method and executed in a drilling machine. Three input
variables considered for this work, spindle speed (rpm), feed
(mm/rev) and drill bit material (HSS, Tungsten carbide, PCD)
the influences of these parameters on thrust force and

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International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Developments [ICRAMID - 2014]

delamination were analysed . The following conclusions were

drawn from this work
TABLE II
ANOVA ANALYSIS ON PROCESS PARAMETERS

Factor

Sum
Of
Squares

Variance

F
Ratio

Pure

Drill
Bit
material

0.12

0.006

63.32

0.01

%
Of
contri-bution
52.97

Feed
(mm/rev)
Spindle
Speed
(rpm)
Other
errors
Total

0.006

0.003

31.38

0.005

25.82

0.002

0.001

12.96

0.002

11.05

20

10.16

26

100

DOF

sum

Table II, shows the influence of process parameters on

delamination. It is observered that drill bit material has the
highest contribution on delamination, feed has moderate
influence on delamination, and spindle speed has relatively
less influence on delamination. Feed exhibits almost two
times influence of spindle speed. Drill bit material exhibits
almost two times influence of feed. The same trend was found
on the responses of thrust force and torque.
IV .CONCLUSIONS
Observations on thrust force and delamination indicate
that, when spindle speed increases there is considerable
decrease in thrust force. In this work among the spindle
speeds, the highest spindle speed 1250 rpm gives less
thrust and delamination
1. It is seen than ,when feed increases thrust force and
delamination also increases, among the feeds the
highest feed 0.12mm/rev gives more thrust force
and delamination
2. Delamination factor(Fd) is more at the exit than at the
entrance for all the experimental conditions[16]
3. Based on the ANOVA analysis, it is arrived that drill
bit material has more influence, feed has relatively
moderate influence and spindle speed has less
influence on thrust force and delamination factor
4. Among the three drill bit materials [High speed steel
(HSS), Tungsten carbide, Poly crystalline diamond
(PCD], PCD gives less thrust force and
delamination followed by tungsten carbide and
HSS.

[2] Cappelo E,Workpiece damping and its effects on dalamination damage in

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[7] Ho-Cheng
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Acknowledgement
The first author gratefully acknowledges management of
Karunya University, Coimbatore, India. for the patronage.

References
[1]El-Sonbaty I, Khasabha UA, Machaly T, Factors affecting the
machinability of GFR/epoxy composites, Composites structure 2004(34):329-338

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