Investigating the Efficacy of Adhesive Tape for Drilling Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers

In the present research work, an effort has been made to explore the potential of using the adhesive tapes while drilling CFRPs. The input parameters, such as drill bit diameter, point angle, Scotch tape layers, spindle speed, and feed rate have been studied in response to thrust force, torque, circularity, diameter error, surface roughness, and delamination occurring during drilling. It has been found that the increase in point angle increased the delamination, while increase in Scotch tape layers reduced delamination. The surface roughness decreased with the increase in drill diameter and point angle, while it increased with the speed, feed rate, and tape layer. The best low roughness was obtained at 6 mm diameter, 130 degrees point angle, 0.11 mm/rev feed rate, and 2250 rpm speed at three layers of Scotch tape. The circularity error initially increased with drill bit diameter and point angle, but then decreased sharply with further increase in the drill bit diameter. Further, the circularity error has non-linear behavior with the speed, feed rate, and tape layer. Low circularity error has been obtained at 4 mm diameter, 118 degrees point angle, 0.1 mm/rev feed rate, and 2500 RPM speed at three layers of Scotch tape. The low diameter error has been obtained at 6 mm diameter, 130 degrees point angle, 0.12 mm/rev feed rate, and 2500 rpm speed at three layer Scotch tape. From the optical micro-graphs of drilled holes, it has been found that the point angle is one of the most effective process parameters that significantly affects the delamination mechanism, followed by Scotch tape layers as compared to other parameters such as drill bit diameter, spindle speed, and feed rate.

Automated summary

This research explores the potential of using adhesive tapes during drilling of CFRPs, studying various input parameters and their effects on thrust force, torque, circularity, diameter error, surface roughness, and delamination. Findings show that point angle and Scotch tape layers are critical in affecting delamination mechanism, with other parameters such as drill bit diameter, spindle speed, and feed rate also impacting machining quality.