Prediction of thrust force and torque when drilling composite materials

Composite materials are finding substantial application in the automotive and the construction sector. The primary processing of these materials is quite developed whereas, the secondary processing, that is machining is still in the nascent stage. The cutting forces directly influence the machining induced damage. The forces can be measured and the resulting damage thereby can be controlled. The present research endeavour is an attempt to analyse the force signals during drilling of polymeric matrix composites and to propose models for predicting the cutting forces. A +/- 110% variation was found in the predicted and experimental values.