Effect of Spindle Speed on Thrust Force and Delamination Factor when Drilling Glass Fiber/Epoxy Composite Laminates

Machining of Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) components is often needed in spite of the fact that most GFRP structures can be made to near-net shape and drilling is the most frequently employed secondary machining process for fiber reinforced materials. Therefore, precise machining needs to be performed to ensure dimensional stability and to obtain a better productivity of the component. The drilling parameters and specimen parameters evaluated were speed, drill size and three different types of glass fiber mats. This work is focused on the investigation of effect of spindle speed on thrust force and delamination produced when drilling. Two drills with distinct geometries were considered. The results showed that, as speed increases the thrust and delamination factor decreases. The behaviour of thrust force during drilling process was greatly affected by the drill wear.