Improved Tool Geometry to Enhance Surface Quality and Integrity in Trimming of CFRP Composite Materials

Experimental trimming tests on unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites using a conventional tool and a newly developed V-shaped tool were performed to verify the effect on cut quality and surface integrity. Depth of cut and cutting speed were fixed, whereas the fiber orientation angle θ with respect to the cutting direction was varied in the range 0°-180°. Three parameters were selected to evaluate the cut surface: the depth of the splits at the cut specimen sides, the depth of the splits generated in the internal material volume, and the cut surface roughness, Ra. These parameters revealed a significant improvement when using the V-shaped tool.