Title: Study into causes of damage to carbon epoxy composite material during the drilling process

Authors: Pierre Rahme, Yann Landon, Pierre Lagarrigue, Frederic Lachaud, Robert Piquet

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Paul Sabatier University, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Paul Sabatier University, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Paul Sabatier University, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace, 1 Place Emile Blouin, 31000 Toulouse, France. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace, 1 Place Emile Blouin, 31000 Toulouse, France

Abstract: There is increasing interest from industry in the machining of composite materials, especially the drilling of thick composite panels and of multi-material assemblies. Damage to laminates due to drilling has an influence on the resistance of plates to the various stresses applied to the structure. The present paper aims firstly to highlight the different defects generated by drilling thick carbon epoxy plates at the entry, on the wall and on the whole exit. Following this, the main aim of this work is the observation in the real time of the initiation and the propagation of such defects. This enables to understand and to show the causes of these defects and then allow operating procedures to be proposed that are likely to reduce such damage.

Keywords: drilling damage; carbon epoxy composites; delamination; twist drills; cutting conditions; reaming; drilling defects; countersinking; high speed view camera; infrared thermographic camera; composites machining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMM.2008.020966

International Journal of Machining and Machinability of Materials, 2008 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.309 - 325

Published online: 29 Oct 2008 *

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