Cutting-tool performance in the end milling of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics

Abstract

Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are no longer the exclusive domain of aerospace industries and nowadays find more applications in the automotive and consumer industries. The growing volume of these materials increases the need for their efficient machining. However, the machinability of CFRPs is a rather complex task due to the heterogeneity and the considerable number of parameters influencing the cutting process. The cutting tool has long been recognized as an important factor influencing both surface quality and dimensional accuracy. Hence, in this paper, tool performance is investigated in the end milling of CFRPs. The effect of tool geometry and coatings on the cutting forces, dimensional accuracy and surface quality were experimentally examined for side and slot milling.