Investigation of drilling in fibre-reinforced plastics using response surface methodology

The continued expansion of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) into non-specialist markets depends on the creation of high-quality products using cost-effective production techniques. The assembly of complex FRP products requires the drilling of the FRP, however, currently there tends to be substantial damage to the FRP area around the hole. A number of methodologies have been adopted to minimize this drilling-induced damage. There is a strong ambiguity regarding how the operating parameters affect the cutting forces and thus the drilling-induced damage. The present investigation focuses on the geometry of the drill point as a candidate parameter that influences the drilling-induced damage. The experimental results suggest a strong relationship between the geometry of the drill point and the drilling-induced damage.