Sequential laser–mechanical drilling of thick carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) for industrial applications

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Ahmad Sobri, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7491-015X, Heinemann, R and Whitehead, D, 2021. Sequential laser–mechanical drilling of thick carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) for industrial applications. Polymers, 13 (13): 2136. ISSN 2073-4360

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13132136

Abstract

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) can be costly to manufacture, but they are typically used anywhere a high strength-to-weight ratio and a high steadiness (rigidity) are needed in many industrial applications, particularly in aerospace. Drilling composites with a laser tends to be a feasible method since one of the composite phases is often in the form of a polymer, and polymers in general have a very high absorption coefficient for infrared radiation. The feasibility of sequential laser–mechanical drilling for a thick CFRP is discussed in this article. A 1 kW fibre laser was chosen as a pre-drilling instrument (or initial stage), and mechanical drilling was the final step. The sequential drilling method dropped the overall thrust and torque by an average of 61%, which greatly increased the productivity and reduced the mechanical stress on the cutting tool while also increasing the lifespan of the bit. The sequential drilling (i.e., laser 8 mm and mechanical 8 mm) for both drill bits (i.e., 2- and 3-flute uncoated tungsten carbide) and the laser pre-drilling techniques has demonstrated the highest delamination factor (SFDSR) ratios. A new laser–mechanical sequence drilling technique is thus established, assessed, and tested when thick CFRP composites are drilled.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Polymers
Creators:	Ahmad Sobri, S., Heinemann, R. and Whitehead, D.
Publisher:	MDPI
Date:	29 June 2021
Volume:	13
Number:	13
ISSN:	2073-4360
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.3390/polym13132136 DOI 2473955 Other
Rights:	This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	23 Jul 2025 12:29
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2025 12:29
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54002