Helical Milling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics Using Ultrasonic Vibration and Liquid Nitrogen

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) have been used for various applications such as aerospace, automobiles, and sporting goods due to their superior properties, and the demand for through-hole drilling of CFRP is increasing. A novel hybrid helical milling technique applying ultrasonic vibration and cryogenic tool cooling method is proposed in this paper, as an effective machining method for CFRP. To investigate the effects of ultrasonic-vibration-assisted machining and cryogenic tool cooling method, cutting performance evaluations based on thrust force, machining accuracy, and tool wear were conducted in this study. The results of the cutting tests clearly indicated that the proposed cutting method provides reductions in thrust force, and suppresses delamination at the machined surface.