Modeling and evolutionary computation on drilling of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer nanocomposite: an integrated approach using RSM based PSO

Among the various classifications of fiber-reinforced polymer composites, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite materials have great potential in aerospace, automobile and marine industries. Drilling is a common machining process of CFRP composites. Surface delamination, tearing, abrasion, denting, cutting of fibers, formation of voids, fiber bending and pullout, etc. are significant problems that occur in the drilling of CFRP composites, among which surface delamination is identified as a critical issue. By optimizing the drilling parameters, the effect of delamination can be minimized, resulting in good quality holes. The drilling process involves several critical process parameters. Therefore, achieving accurate holes during the process is extremely difficult. Three significant drilling process parameters were considered in the present investigation aimed at achieving an optimum drilling response: the thrust force and entry and exit delamination factors. An integrated response surface methodology-based particle swarm algorithm was used to obtain optimal drilling parameters. The obtained optimal settings for CFRP drilling are a drilling speed of 1100 rpm, a feed rate of 5 mm/rev, 5% CNTs and a 110 degrees point angle. The high feed rate increases the thrust force and entry and exit delamination factors in the drilling of fabricated hybrid nano-CNT/CFRP composites.